The Batman Legacy
by LoveStory87
Summary: Bruce Wayne has spent the last few years trying to keep his daughter at arms length but after she is mugged he seems to want his space back in her life. Now all he has to do is convince her mother, Rachel Dawes, that he can keep her safe from his secret.
1. Chapter 1

The night closed in around Savannah as she made her way home in the dark. It was funny how silence was not really silence at all. It was this dull roar that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She traveled down the empty street careful to stay in the flood of light made by the overhead street lamps. Her attention spanning every possible place a night crawler could be. Her mother was not going to be happy when she found out that Savannah was walking home alone. Her boyfriend Drew had decided that evening to break up with her and even though she should be crying, a tear never formed in her eye. There was no use crying over spilled milk, her mom would say.

In all of her seventeen years, she had never seen her mom break down. Rachel Dawes, Gotham's district attorney, had raised a baby all on her own and still made it through law school. If her mother could do all that, Savannah figured she could get over a high school relationship. It wasn't like she was planning to stick around after graduation anyways. She wanted out of the city more than she wanted her next breath.

Savannah crossed the empty alleyway noticing how the darkness seemed to pull everything in like a black hole. She pulled her tan trench coat in a little tighter to her body like a shield. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the shadows shift but was quickly followed by an orange tabby cat. Smiling down on the emaciated cat she bent down and stroked its back. The cat stretched and dodged to meet her every stroke losing gobs of fur in the process. She was sure that when she got home it would be all over her clothes.

"What are you doing out here little fella?" The cat gazed up at her like she was crazy for even thinking that he understood. "Don't you have a home?"

"I should ask you the same thing."

Savannah gasped as a dark figure pulled out of the shadows. The man looked like a street dweller as he was dressed in rags that were threadbare. He had an evil smile on his face that made Savannah's insides do a flip-flop. His nose filled up most of his face making his soulless eyes seem too close together.

"Stay back," she snapped in her most commanding tone hoping he didn't hear the slight waver. Slowly she stood to her feet reaching in her purse for the can of mace pepper spray she kept on her at all times. Her fingers closed around the metallic can giving her some courage. "Nothing needs to happen here. I'm going to go my way and you are going to go yours."

"I think not and don't think you are going to use whatever you have in your purse," he pulled his hand from his pocket to reveal a gun. His smile was getting bigger by the minute.

Savannah swallowed hoping to get her breathing back under control. It was important during crisis to remain calm. Instinctively she took a step back and glanced down the street towards her apartment building. She had almost made it, two more blocks and she would have been home.

"You don't have to do this, sir."

Without another word he lunged at her and they both went sprawling on the pavement. The tabby cat hissed and took off down the alley. An instant pain shot up her arm and the side of her head; which had made contact with the ground. She groaned but pulled herself up using the moment to try and flee. The man was quick to his feet taking off after her. Savannah put her head down and ran full tilt up the street gasping for breath.

They had made it a few yards when he grabbed her arm and swung her into the side of the building. Savannah yelped and slid down to sit on the ground. In her mind she knew she should be running but the fight was nearly out of her. She stared up at her attacker feeling blackness settle in around her. A dark sticky substance was slowly trickling down her forehead and she reached up to wipe it away.

The man before her reached up behind him with a snarl on his face before he brought his hand down to smack her. Savannah braced herself for the assault but it never came. She opened her right eye and watched as a man in a bat suit grabbed the man by his collar and pulled him into the nearest alley.

Savannah placed her head in her hands and tried hard not to black out. She knew by the blood trailing down her face that she had a gash on her head. There was intense pain shooting through her arm and she wondered to herself if she had dislocated her shoulder in the fall. There was no way she was going to sneak this past her mother and if she thought about it she was going to give Drew a piece of her mind tomorrow.

"Are you okay," a new voice that was dark and raspy asked her.

She gazed up at the Batman overwhelmed by his size and grandeur. His black suit made him seem powerful and gave him an air of mystery. The lights from the street lamps bounced off his suit shadowing most of his body.

With a great deal of effort Savannah made it to her feet feeling the ground move beneath her. Her head was pounding an unsteady beat that made her stomach travel north to her throat.

"Steady," he said supporting her arm with his. "Do you need help getting home?"

Her brain was working slower than usual and it took her a moment to understand what he was asking. "I just live down the street. I need a moment."

Savannah pushed against the wall with her good arm and instantly felt her legs give out. The caped hero swept her up in his arms where she put her head on his shoulder. "Where to?"

"Richmond Heights apartments," she answered before blacking out.

* * *

><p>Hours later Savannah woke to a bright light causing excruciating pain to travel through her head. She moved her frozen fingers to the source of the pain and felt a long gash on her head that had been stitched. She groaned knowing that this was going to cause a lot of talk at school the next day.<p>

"Savannah," she turned to see her mom barely awake on the chair beside the hospital bed. Her mom had an old jacket resting on her shoulders that was promptly moved aside so that she could give her a hug. "Oh my baby. I was so afraid."

"I'm okay," she said noticing that her mother was sobbing into her neck. Truthfully she didn't know if she was okay but with quick inspection she noticed that she could still move her arms and legs.

Her mother's tear stained cheeks blossomed into a full-blown smile as she settled back into her chair. She was a very beautiful woman with her dark chestnut colored hair, deep blue eyes, and upturned nose. Savannah had been lucky to take most of her looks from her mother with the only thing linking her to her absentee father was her defiant chin.

"I called your father," Rachel said as if she had been reading Savannah's mind. "He wished he could be here but he had an important business meeting tonight. I told him that you were fine and would be staying the weekend with him."

"Mom," Savannah moaned flopping onto her back. "I hate going over there. Isn't this a good enough excuse to get out of it?" Before her mother even said anything Savannah knew what she was going to say. The last few years they had shuttled her back-and-forth every other weekend to spend time with her dad even though he would disappear for hours and practically ignore her the whole time. If that wasn't bad enough he always seemed to have extremely young women over. Some of them she was pretty sure were just over the legal age.

"You know honey, you only have a few more months and then you can decide on your own whether you want to have a relationship with him or not. But until then legally he has a right to see you every other weekend."

She knew she couldn't regress but times like this made Savannah want to throw a massive temper tantrum. "I don't know what you ever saw in him. He is so self absorbed."

Savannah noticed pain flash through her mother's eyes but it was gone just as quickly. It could have even been a figment of her imagination. What would her mother have to be sad about anyways? As far as she knew their relationship had been brief and many years ago. Her father, Bruce Wayne, had been her mother's childhood sweetheart until they had gone away to different colleges and as her mother said, life happened. They had met up only once during those years and that is the night Savannah had been conceived.

Her mother said that Bruce had been willing to marry her but they had both decided that it wouldn't have been the best for Savannah. Instead they had come up with a simple custody agreement and life had gone on.

She could remember when she was little the times she had spent with her dad but as she grew up things had changed between the two of them. He had become cold towards her. It had hurt at first but now that she was older she knew exactly why that had happened. Bruce liked fast cars and faster women. He had everything new and when he got bored he moved onto something else. This led her to realize that she had been a toy to him. But unlike his other toys he couldn't just toss her out so he did just enough to get by.

"Your dad loves you Savannah. More than you will ever know," her mother interrupted her thoughts. She had grabbed Savannah's hand and was warming it up between hers. She loved her mother's hands. They were always warm and soft and there was something comforting about them.

Savannah suddenly felt tired and drained. She figured she should after the long day she had been through. Between being dumped by her boyfriend and being mugged she deserved some rest. She let out a long yawn and fell back on her pillow. It wasn't very comfortable but she wasn't surprised. Hospitals weren't known for their luxury.

* * *

><p>Savannah stood in front of Wayne Manor trying to conceal the small smile that was making its way to her lips. She didn't want her dad to think she was happy to see him. It wasn't about him. She was just happy to be back at her family home. She didn't get to see Wayne Manor often since her dad liked to stay in his pent house suite in town. The place was decorated contemporary with straight lines and felt more like a hotel. At least at Wayne Manor her dad had felt obligated to put pictures of her on his walls.<p>

"Harvey, I will be there in thirty minutes I just need to drop Savannah at her dad's," her mother said into her phone as she traversed the car and picked up the bag at Savannah's feet. She would have picked it up herself but her arm had been dislocated from the fall and was still in pain.

From the front steps she saw her dad walking towards them looking more relaxed than she had seen him in a while. He had on a pair of jeans and a simple navy blue polo. His black hair was slicked back and still wet as if he had just stepped out of the shower. He came over to Savannah and tried to give her a hug but she stepped out of his reach.

"It's good to see you. I've missed you," he said while driving his hand through his hair.

She rolled her eyes trying not to let the sarcastic remarks she was thinking slip from her lips. He may have been an absentee father but he didn't put up with her crap. So if she didn't want to be grounded she would leave the snide remarks to herself.

"It's good to see you too, Mr. Wayne," she answered before sweeping past him and towards the house.

* * *

><p>Bruce felt a stabbing pain in his chest that had nothing to do with the punch the mugger had dealt him the night before. Weekends were hard on him since it was just a reminder of what he had lost over the years while wearing the cape. His daughter had grown up strong and independent and hated everything about him. Or what she thought she knew about him. He tried to remind himself that this was how it was supposed to be buying time as Rachel finished her phone call.<p>

She had been speaking to Harvey Dent the last in her line of boyfriends. Each one made Bruce want to forget the promise he had made to her and sweep back into her life.

"Bruce, I got to go but I just wanted to say that the doctor said she will be fine she just needs rest. If there is any lasting pain she can take some aspirin."

Rachel turned to leave but he grabbed her arm and pulled her against his body. As soon as he did she fell apart, the sobs wracking her petite body. He held her letting the tears fall drenching his shirt. She felt good against him. They had always fit life a puzzle, her curves fitting into his rough lines.

"He could have killed her," she cried desperately holding onto him. "What if you hadn't showed up?"

"I did," he soothed into her hair breathing in her vanilla scent. He let his grip tighten around her. "I would never let anything happen to her."

They stood in the driveway until Rachel had stopped crying and he was just rocking her back-and-forth. "I got to go."

Bruce closed his eyes trying to hold his own tears in. He wanted nothing more than to take her in the house and put his little family back together. There were so many things he wanted but knew he would never have.

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	2. Chapter 2

_Twenty Years Ago…_

_Bruce revved the engine of his Ducati motorcycle scaring the brunette who had her feet dangling in the river below. They were on the outskirts of the Wayne property where they usually met to have some privacy. She was dressed in a short pair of jean shorts with nothing but a bikini top on. Bruce felt all the breath leave his lungs as she slinked her way over to him. He stared in fascination as her hips swayed from side to side in a seductive manner that he was sure she wasn't aware of. Rachel Dawes had always been able to take his breath away. _

_ "Last night at Wayne Manor. I thought we could take a swim for old times sake," Rachel smiled at him revealing two rows of perfect white teeth. _

_ "You realize it's the middle of the night, right?" Bruce glanced up at the sky and all the twinkling stars. He couldn't help thinking that he should be anywhere but there at that moment. He had been in love with Rachel for years but knew that it would never work between them. She was level headed and destined to make something of her life while he was reckless and lived off his dead parent's dime. He wished he could say that he had direction in life but the only thing that kept him focused was the beautiful woman in front of him. _

_ "What? Are you afraid of the dark," she questioned while slipping her shorts off and tossing them towards the bushes. "I promise to keep you safe."_

_ "There are quite a few horror movies that start like this," Bruce said unbuttoning his shirt. "We get into the water but are then grabbed by a sea creature who takes us to the bottom to make us his late night snack."_

_ Rachel snickered; a breathy sound that made Bruce's heart beat faster. It didn't take him long before he had discarded all of his clothing except his boxers. Rachel turned away from him and jumped into the water sending little droplets back towards him. The water was seasonably warm despite the slight chill in the air. _

_ "Come on coward. I don't have all night," she complained splashing her hands against the surface to wet him even more. _

_ Bruce smiled before running into the water and grabbing her around the waist. They both went under sputtering when they reached the surface. Rachel pulled away from him running towards the other shore but he stopped her mid way and dunked her under again. _

_ "You give up," he asked. Bruce had her in his arms dangling her right over the water. _

_ "You wouldn't dare."_

_ Bruce raised an eyebrow and let her go causing a big splash. Rachel came up laughing while she rubbed the water out of her eyes. It was a scene they had played out many times before. He felt his heart flutter knowing that tonight would be the last. Unlike the movies there wasn't going to be a moment when he swept her off her feet and told her that he couldn't live without her. Although it was true he couldn't stand in the way of her dreams and he knew he wasn't it. _

_ "I'm going to miss this," she said standing to her feet till they were almost eye level. A piece of hair had fallen in her face and he subconsciously brushed it back and behind her ear. He heard her slight intake of breath and wished for once that she were feeling half of what he felt for her. _

_ His relationships had never been easy but he didn't understand why the one with whom he truly loved had to be so complicated. For some reason it had just never been the right time and now it seemed like it was too late. They were both heading off to college and two different lives. _

_ "I'm going to miss you," she whispered and he finally noticed the tear that was streaking down her face. Without thought to the consequences he bent to kiss away the tear on her cheek. He pulled away to gage her reaction licking his lips and tasting the salt from her skin. Her gaze seemed to pinpoint on his lips before he pulled her against him and crashed his lips against hers. _

_ Bruce felt electricity tighten the muscles through his body a feeling that was both painful and pleasurable all at once. Rachel felt like putty in his hands opening and tightening, as he wanted. Her response to his kiss drove him crazy awakening feelings in him that he felt long dead. He grabbed her hips and lifted her into his arms till she was straddling him. His feet carried them to shore and deposited them on his jacket that he had thrown away earlier. _

_ "I want you," she said huskily into his ear. _

_ All the breath in Bruce's body seemed to depart at the three words she had whispered into his ear. There wasn't anything he wanted more than to make her his but he knew that she would regret it the minute it was over. They had been good friends but that was as far as it could go. So through the last few kisses he placed on her lips he decided to do the noble and pulled away. _

_ "We can't do this," he said sitting up on the hard ground. He took a few deep breaths hoping that he could get his desire for her under control. As it was he was close to throwing the whole noble thing out the window and making love to her right there. _

_ "Why not?"_

_ "We're friends. Not to mention I have a reputation to protect and it wouldn't look good for me to be with you," he said feeling his own heart break at the pain that was suddenly filling her eyes. _

_ "What does that mean," she asked letting her anger punctuate each syllable. Rachel stood to her feet grabbing her shorts from the bush and pulling them up her shapely legs. He watched her try to button them but she failed two times before giving up and searching for her shirt, which she must have gotten rid of earlier. He could see the slight tremor in her limbs as she pulled her shirt over her head and started walking away from him. "You know what? Never mind. You're not my type anyways."_

_ He wasn't sure if he should go after her so he just stood to his feet and watched her walk away. It didn't take long for the dark to swallow her up but still he stood rooted to the spot. As much as it hurt he knew he had done the right thing. She had a future. She had big dreams for herself and he would have just held her back. Instead he had done the noble thing and set her free. _

_ The wind picked up around him causing small goosebumps to appear on his skin. Reluctantly he grabbed his pants and put them on even though he wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground and disappear. _

_ With a last look at the lake, and the life he was about to leave behind, Bruce hopped on his bike and sped off towards Wayne Manor. It was an empty house and a good representation of the life he knew he was going to live. _

* * *

><p>Savannah pushed the ear buds to her iPod touch into her ears wincing slightly at the hard rock music that was too loud. She was never really into it but kept up the act because she knew her dad didn't like it. It was also a way to ignore her dad when he was around.<p>

She wasn't sure why her parents were taking so long outside but she was pretty sure they were talking about her. Like she cared. She hated the way they pretended to get along every time they were together. Her mother didn't care for her father's life style anymore than Savannah. It was embarrassing to have a dad who was with a new girl every five seconds. Then there were all the new cars and gadgets that he seemed to throw in her mother's face any time he could. Because of this behavior, her mother had made her earn all the small things Savannah had wanted over the years. It was a huge contrast between each house. Her mother lived a simple life and taught Savannah fiscal responsibility where her dad would shower her with gifts the minute she walked in the door. She figured that he did it though to appease his guilt over not spending more time with her. Either way she knew it was going to be a long weekend.

"Did you get settled in," Savannah turned to see her father standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to take in the gash on her head causing a deep scowl to appear on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered turning back towards the window she had been looking out. Wayne Manor had acres of land and she was lucky to have one of the best views in the house. She gazed down on the trees that were turning to reds and browns signaling the start of fall. It was her favorite season and she was happy she got to be there to experience all the change that would happen on the property.

"I was going to pop some popcorn and watch a movie. Do you want to join me," he asked throwing his ankle over the other.

"No thanks, Mr. Wayne."

"Cut the crap," his voice snapped making her jump. "Your mother is gone you can drop the act."

"What act," she asked tearing the ear buds out and threw her ipod on the bed. "The disdain dripping from every word is all real." Savannah put her hands on her hips to emphasis her point. She was done playing nice with him. If he didn't want to be her dad anymore she wasn't going to make him.

"I know I haven't always been the dad you wanted or needed but I'm trying my best here kid. So we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"What's the hard way," she asked.

"I will take you over my shoulder and carry you down to the living room where you will enjoy a movie with me or you can come quietly. It's your choice," he shrugged.

Savannah could tell by the tense set of his shoulders that he wasn't kidding. She wrestled with the thought of ignoring him and hopping on the computer to message her friend Chloe but then thought better of it. It was going to be a long weekend if she spent the whole time fighting with him. Odds were he was going to get bored and head out to one of his super ritzy parties he liked to hit up anyways.

"Fine," she smirked. "But I get to pick the movie."

"Good. I'll meet you down there in ten."

With a small smile he turned and left her bedroom in peace. Knowing that he couldn't see her she rolled her eyes and flopped on the bed. There were worse things than watching a movie in their theater room with her dad but at that moment she couldn't think of any.

* * *

><p>By the digital display on his watch, Bruce could see that it was two in the morning. He had wanted to wait till Savannah fell asleep before sneaking off to work on his "extra curricular activities." Bruce had kept a watchful eye on the light underneath her door surprised that she could stay up so late after just getting out of the hospital. He knew those places were not made for peace and rest. The fact that his daughter had been there in the first place made him angrier than he had ever been. The other night he had just been doing his regular patrol, making sure to keep an extra careful eye around Richmond Heights, when he had seen a young girl getting mugged. As soon as he knew that the young girl was his daughter he had gone into a blind rage striking the guy until he wasn't sure the man was still alive.<p>

He had only lost his control like that one other time and that had been years before when Rachel had been carrying Savannah. The memory of that day still had a way of making his blood pump in his ears at an alarming rate. There were so many things he had given up becoming Batman but he would never give up the two loves of his life.

Bruce felt a chuckle rise to his lips at how true and false that statement could be at once. He may have kept them alive and protected them from Batman's many enemies but he had also given them up so that they would be out of danger.

Batman had been born to make Bruce worthy of Rachel. And the same thing that would have pulled them together is that same thing that keeps them apart. With a shake of his head Bruce walked into the first floor linen closet and closed the door ready to see what Alfred was up to.

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	3. Chapter 3

Bruce held a steaming mug of coffee in his hands to fight the chill that had settled in the cave. In front of him sat a myriad of computers all equipped to handle certain aspects involved in his work. They were blinking information back at him at speeds he couldn't read. There were knobs and buttons that had taken him years to figure what they did but that is why he hired Lucius Fox. The older man read computer code as fast as Bruce could put a bad guy on the floor.

"You should get some rest," Lucius chided. "You need to spend time with Savannah this weekend instead of worrying about which guy is going to step in and ruin your day next."

Bruce chuckled before downing a big gulp of the mocha-flavored coffee. The liquid burned a path down his throat warming him up from the inside. He had never been a big coffee drinker but with all his late nights he needed his caffeine fix. "Sleep? What's that? I think I heard of it once."

"You're not invincible. You can't keep taking the amount of beatings you have lately and get away with not sleeping. Your body needs rest."

"Ok dad," Bruce stood to his feet and stretched his arms over his head. His body cracked reminding him of the fact that he was getting older. Not like he needed any other reminding. He could see the years pass by just by watching his daughter grow up.

It seemed like yesterday when he had brought Savannah home from the hospital. She had been pink and small wrapped in the special baby blanket he had made for her. It had been an exciting time for Rachel and him until their happy ever after had turned into a nightmare. He was still plagued with guilt over what had happened.

"Master Wayne," Alfred stepped up to the computer screens dressed in his normal suit and tie. The man, who had always been like a father to him, looked especially worn out under the harsh lights overheard making Bruce wonder if his goal of making Gotham City safe was taking something else away from him. Alfred worked hard to help Bruce in his escapades as Batman but was he losing his health in the process? "I have set out your updated suit and I do hope that this time we can make it last longer."

"I will try my best Alfred. In the meantime I think it would be best if we both head to bed. Old men like us shouldn't be up at four in the morning."

"I fully agree with you but I can't have you going out with nail holes in your suit. Ms. Dawes would have my hide if I let anything happen to you."

Bruce placed his hand on Alfred's shoulder pointing him back towards the house. The nail holes were the least of his issues. The man who had used the nail gun, as his weapon of choice, had been put behind bars already. The scars from that fight had started to vanish but were still visible on his abdomen.

"For your safety I will head to bed myself but first I want to check on Savannah."

The old house sat quiet as Bruce navigated the stairs up to Savannah's room. He had given her the east wing since it had the best view of the property. As much as she had tried to hide it earlier he knew she was happy to be home. He wished more than anything that she could be herself around him but it was his fault that she couldn't. Hadn't he planned for her to hate him?

It seemed like everything in his life was planned out lately. During the day he was Bruce Wayne, millionaire playboy followed by hours in a mask hiding from the world. When he had first become Batman it had felt freeing to don the mask and take on all the evil in the city but now it was becoming more of a prison. It was his burden to take on that he would never want for anyone else.

The door to Savannah's room opened quietly sending a stream of light on her face. In sleep she seemed more like the little girl he remembered. Her dark brown hair and porcelain skin was so much like her mother's that it made him ache for Rachel. It was an ache he had memorized over the years since it never seemed to leave him. It would start in his heart, into his arms, and then overtake his whole body. Missing someone as deeply as he did was more painful than he could ever explain.

Bruce stood in the doorway of her bedroom watching his daughter's chest rise and fall with each breath. He had done the same thing when she was little and he wondered how many breaths he had missed over the years. If he had counted them up would they be equal to half her life? He wasn't sure but he did know that he was missing big chunks of her life that he would never get back.

Silently Bruce made his way over to the bed and bent down over his sleeping child. He could feel her breath on his face. H reached down and gently pushed some of the hair out of her face and gave her a kiss on the forehead. It was just under where the stitches in her head started. He couldn't believe how brave she had been facing the mugger that night. The man had been a lot larger than her and could have caused more damage. Placing a last kiss on her forehead he decided it was time he get to bed. He had a long day ahead of him keeping up his playboy status.

* * *

><p>Savannah sat at the large cherry wood table feeling lonelier than she had in a while. If she had been home with her mother the two of them would have gotten up early together to go for a run. Then they would sit down to a big breakfast each talking about the dates they had the night before. Savannah winced realizing that she would have been discussing her big break up with Drew.<p>

Her mother, on the other hand, would be talking about how perfect Harvey is. Truthfully she would have to agree with her. Harvey had changed her mother for the better. There had always been this empty space in her mother's life that Savannah could never fill but Harvey had given her love and affection that she desperately needed. Personally she really liked Harvey too. He had become a stand in father to her where her bum dad had let her down. Bruce Wayne was not cut out to be a father.

Savannah gazed down at the smorgasbord of food steaming in front of her. It was like a buffet for one and she was wondering what was going to happen to the leftovers. She leaned over and picked up a croissant tearing a piece off the end and tossing it into her mouth. It was warm and buttery on her tongue. There were also some bright red strawberries, eggs, and an assortment of breakfast meat. If only she could have found someone to eat with her.

The doorbell rang and Savannah watched Alfred walk across the doorway towards the front door. She was surprised that anyone had stopped by. Wayne Manor was not known for its visitors. If anything, it was a hide away for when her dad caused more scandals.

"A Mr. Williams is here to see you Miss Wayne," Alfred said standing on the threshold.

Savannah felt her heart sink but gave a curt nod telling Alfred to let him in. "What are you doing here?"

Drew paused at the door looking uncomfortable in the massive kitchen. His gaze held steady with hers as she tried to ignore the flash of electricity that passed between them. Passion had never been their problem. There had always been something special between them but it was over.

"Chloe told me what happened. I had to see you," his voice was deep and caused a tremor to pass through her body. He was gorgeous. Green eyes set in a strong face. He had a dimple on his left cheek that seemed almost out of place but gave him a boyish quality.

"Well, I'm fine so you shouldn't have come all the way out here," she said hoping she sounded stronger than she felt. Internally she would have melted in his arms if he had allowed her to. Savannah stood to her feet and turned to glance out the window when Drew noticed the stitches in her head. She heard his quick intake of breath before he came over to her.

"Oh, baby," he reached out for her but stopped mid way. Things would never be the same between them and he seemed to realize it in that moment. Drew dropped his hands to his side and his gaze went with it. "I told you I would walk you home."

"Yeah, because I want to spend time with my ex-boyfriend right after he dumped me," she closed her eyes trying to get her anger under control. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. It was hard enough being close enough to touch him and not being able to.

"I love you Savannah. You know that. But things have become really complicated between us lately."

"When have they not been complicated," she asked fixing her burgundy shirt that had fallen off her shoulder. She noticed that his eyes followed her every move barely containing the hunger in their depths. "I mean you were dating one of my best friends when we realized we had feelings for each other."

"That's not what I'm talking about. Gosh Savannah. Do you know what it's like to tell someone you love them and get nothing in return?" Like a caged animal Drew started pacing around the table. There was a tense set to his shoulders and he seemed like he could jump out of his skin at any moment.

"Are we back to that? I'm sorry I don't have two parents who are madly in love with each other. I don't know what it's like to stay with one person for that long. So it's not that easy for me to show you how I feel."

"You don't give me anything that's the problem. The minute I say the word love you go running in the opposite direction. Or you shut me out. I just couldn't do it anymore."

Savannah felt tears prick the back of her eyes causing her to blink rapidly. She wanted to give him everything he asked for but she was scared. She had seen first hand that love never lasts.

"Thank you for checking up on me," she said deciding to change the subject and hoping to get him out as soon as possible. "I'm fine it's just a cut and a sore arm." Savannah rubbed her throbbing shoulder and adjusted the sling that the doctor had made her wear.

"I guess I will see you around then," Drew moved towards her pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear and then placed a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes savoring the feel of being in his arms for the last time. When she opened her eyes he was gone and she was left standing alone in the vacant kitchen.

Unlike the night before, this time her tears fell with abandon. They cascaded down her cheek like a waterfall drenching the collar of her shirt. There wasn't a word for pain like she was feeling. All that was left was a deep seeded ache.

Tuning towards the French doors she threw them open stepping out onto the patio. She didn't want anyone to hear her cry especially her father; which had no right to share any of this with her. The other problem was keeping Alfred out of her business. She knew he meant well but he was always trying to get her father and her to reconcile. As far as she was concerned that was never going to happen. How could he abandon her for most of her life and expect something for nothing?

**If you liked it leave a review! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Nineteen Years Ago…_

_ All the lights were shining off the marble floor of Bruce's new apartment. There were floor to ceiling windows and a main room the size of half a football field that was filled with a whole bunch of corporate bigwigs. It really wasn't his scene but now that he had an image to uphold he couldn't hide away in Wayne Manor. Instead he grabbed a crystal champagne flute off the tray of a waiter that had passed him by and chugged the whole thing down. _

_ Feeling the neck of his shirt choke him, Bruce tugged on the collar wishing he didn't have to be in his penguin suit. The whole thing was put together so that he could sneak out and try out his new persona as the Batman. He had only been out two nights before and in that time he had already helped the police capture a wanted criminal. It had felt good despite the large gash in his side where the guy had taken a knife to him. Bruce subconsciously ran his hand over the spot where the cut was. Mentally he took note to check on it in a few hours. It would be hard to explain if it decided to bleed through. _

_ The alley he had chased the guy down was unnaturally dark. The sounds of rodents scurrying and cars passing by on the next street over had been a big distraction. Out of nowhere the man lunged on Bruce's back sending them both sprawling to the pavement. He hadn't been prepared for the sharp pain in his head where he had hit the ground allowing enough time for the knife to sink into his side. He had screamed out wondering for the first time if he had gotten in over his head. _

_ "Bruce, you old dog, where have you been hiding," a short man that was stout around the waist broke Bruce from his thoughts. _

_ "I needed a little time off from Wayne Enterprises. You know how stressful it can be," Bruce quirked an eyebrow towards Libby, the blonde beside him, hoping that the man would assume the worst of him. It was astounding how easily people bought into his nonchalant, easy going, playboy act. "What about you Greg? Have you taken any time off lately? Or just practicing your golf swing?"_

_ Greg chuckled, a big hearty sound that set Bruce's teeth to clenching. These really weren't his type of people. All most of them cared about were the size of their bank account. Or in some cases, they would hire a secretary that would please them in the office and other places their wives didn't know about. "I keep pretty busy at Fulton Corporation. My golf game has suffered for it."_

_ "I'm sure you could still outdo me," Libby smiled. Greg was immediately taken with her leaning closer than was proper. Bruce could understand what he saw in her. She was tall, slim, well educated. She really was the entire package. But like times before Bruce had never developed feelings for her. _

_ "Actually I wanted to ask about partnering with Wayne Enterprises on the new Walsh project. You know Fulton could give you the best price on parts."_

_ Grabbing a new champagne flute from a passing waiter, Bruce swilled it and took a sip. He didn't really want to talk about the Walsh project that evening. There was no real interest in the project just a suspicion that it was all a cover for a child smuggling scheme. He would use the time it took to turn down the project to gain some information. _

_ "You know Greg I will have to get back to you on that. Tonight I just want to relax and spend some time with this beautiful woman on my arm. Maybe we can set up a meeting for late next week."_

_ "Sounds good," Greg shook his hand and walked off leaving him alone with Libby. Bruce had no plans to meet with him later but would send Lucius to let him down easy. _

_ "You know Bruce you have been a perfect gentleman tonight," Libby started. "It's driving me absolutely crazy."_

_ "Oh yeah," he smirked. They had made it to the balcony where a group of men were busy smoking cigars. It was a nice night out with a light breeze that pressed Libby's golden yellow gown against her legs. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight and Bruce wished for the hundredth time that he could find a place in his heart for her. "What do you suggest?"_

_ "I think you should start a new scandal by taking me into your bedroom and neither one of us coming out till tomorrow morning." _

_ Bruce placed his glass flute on the balcony railing and pulled her into his arms. Libby snuggled closer placing her head on his shoulder. "That sounds wonderful but I have a room full of guests. Not to mention a conference call that I will have to sneak out for in a minute."_

_ "Whatever will I do with myself," she pouted extending her full lip out. _

_ "I'm sure you will think of something." Bruce leaned over dropping a kiss on her mouth. She tasted of champagne and something sweet he couldn't name. It wasn't a totally unpleasant experience but lacked the passion he had felt with a certain brunette years before. "I'll see you later."_

_ "Bye darling."_

_ Bruce left Libby standing on the balcony feeling a slight tinge of guilt at using her for his agenda. There was nothing wrong with her nor did he want to hurt her feelings but he needed an alibi and she was it. _

_ The party was in full swing causing Bruce to pause every so often to say hi. He also thought it would be a good idea for everyone to have seen him and take all possibilities of him being the masked vigilante off the table. _

_ Through the crowd he heard someone call his name and as he turned to say hello he collided with one of his guests. The drink he had brought in with him went all down his pants relocating in his shoe. He groaned knowing Alfred was not going to be happy. _

_ "Hello Bruce." _

_ The voice caused all the air to rush out of his lungs. Glancing up from the puddle in his shoe he stared right into the prettiest blue eyes he hadn't seen in two years. "Hello Rachel." _

_ She was decked out in a strapless midnight blue dress that made her eyes seem darker. It dragged on the floor and had a small train in the back and as pretty as the dress was it paled in comparison to the woman in it. She had changed since the last time he saw her. Before she had just been a teenager growing into her body but now she stood before him completely woman. Her curves were filled out and she had an air about her that told him she wasn't someone to mess with. _

_ "You always were in some sort of mess," she indicated towards his shoe; which had become a sticky problem._

_ "I think this time I had some help," he frowned. "Doesn't matter. I was on my way to my room anyways." Bruce was surprised he could ever put a sentence together with her standing so close. He wasn't sure why she was there but whatever had brought her he was grateful. The past two years had been long and monotonous without her. _

_ That awful night where he had pushed her away had been the last time he had seen her. He could still feel the ache in his chest that had never completely gone away. The next morning he had gone to apologize and hopefully get their friendship back on the right path but she had been gone. Her mother had told him that she had left for school early. It had been a surprise to her mother but not to him. He had discarded her like she never mattered even though the truth was his world revolved around her._

_ "How have you been," he asked lamely. _

_ "Good. I'm actually here on break. I really am sorry about your shoes."_

_ Bruce smiled knowing she must feel quite smug about putting him in his place. "Yeah. I can see you are really broken up about it. I may not have a lake here but I do have a nice water fountain in the entry with your name on it."_

_ "You wouldn't dare," she nearly purred. The sound made Bruce's toes curl. _

_ "I wouldn't dare me. You know what happened the last time." Rachel's eyes grew dark at the mention of the last night they had spent together. He wasn't sure though if it was from what had almost happened or the comment he had made to make her walk away. _

_ "There you are babe," Matt Taylor, one of the associates of Carlton & Associates, stepped up beside Rachel putting his arm around her. "It seems you have already met my girlfriend Bruce."_

_ Bruce's eyes narrowed causing Rachel to shift beneath Matt uncomfortably. The man in front of him was tall and blond with a build that had been toned by years with a personal trainer. The thought disgusted him. How she could ever find one of these corporate monkeys attractive was beyond him. _

* * *

><p>Savannah felt sweat pouring off every part of her body. She had spent the last few hours on her treadmill happily embracing the numbness that came with endurance running. At some point her body would just turn on autopilot and the world would go blank around her. It was a sport she used to keep in shape but more importantly get rid of the pain. Some girls her age would cut themselves but she would just get on her treadmill till there wasn't a part of her that wasn't screaming. Her mother thought it was unhealthy and would most likely be trying to talk her down but at her dad's she could just go until she couldn't go anymore.<p>

As much as she tried to blank out, Drew kept popping up in her mind. He had looked hurt this morning as if he had been the one wronged. She thought that it was weird since he had been the one to break up with her. He may have alluded to her being aloof with him but it just wasn't true. Going over the time they had been together in her mind, she had always acted like a girlfriend should. True, she hadn't told him she loved him but were they really ready for that?

"I don't think you're supposed to be working out right now."

Savannah swung towards the door causing the automatic stop button to go off. Immediately her body was abuzz from the abrupt stop. Her muscles tightened and contracted in frenzy. Her dad calmly walked over to where she stood immobile on the treadmill. His arms were folded over his chest and his face was stern reminding her that he was still in authority.

"I'm done," she said in response stepping down and grabbing the towel she had laid over the weight bench. Quickly she wiped the sweat off the machine followed by her body.

"I heard you had a visitor this morning."

"What do you know about it," she asked brushing past him and out into the hallway. The cool air brushed her skin giving her some relief from the inferno she had created from her workout.

"What happened," he asked following her up the stairs. She was heading towards her bedroom hoping to avoid him. Obviously her dad wasn't getting the hint.

"He broke up with me if you must know. Now I would really like to take a shower or am I not allowed to do that."

Her dad's eyes narrowed and for a second she wondered if he was going to yell at her but then he nodded allowing her to escape into her bedroom. She shut the door softly behind her and leaned against it. Part of her wished that was the only thing separating them.

When had things become so hostile between them?

Taking off her shirt, Savannah stepped in front of her full-length mirror surveying the damage caused from her attacker. Her side was all black and blue and she wondered what Drew would have done if he had seen the full extent of her injuries. He had always been very protective of her and probably would have blamed himself for the state she was in. Even though he had broken up with her she wouldn't want to put that on his shoulders. He was a good guy and didn't deserve that from her.

**Hey Readers**

**Just wanted to tell you that there will be some action hopefully in the next chapter. I would really appreciate it if I could get some more reviews. They just make my day! Thanks.**


	5. Chapter 5

Bruce checked the time on the console of his car for the second time in the last five minutes. It was hard to leave his daughter alone at night but he figured Wayne Manor was the safest place to be. Normally he wouldn't go out on weekends that he had his daughter but his Equilibrium case was heating up.

The streets were quiet that evening almost eerily so. There was a stray cat here and a homeless man there but that was pretty much it. Nights like this made him hopeful that he wouldn't have to be Batman for much longer. He had always planned on a day where he could just go back to being Bruce. No more would he have to act like a playboy or be owner of Wayne Enterprises. He planned on asking the mother of his child to marry him and retire on his private island where the world couldn't reach them. The thought of that day is what kept him going most nights.

Out of nowhere a body was dropped on top of his car making Bruce jump out of his skin. So-called hero or not, it had caught him off guard. He swung the car to the curb jumping out to check the man who was a jumbled mess. His blood had spattered over his now cracked windshield and the first thing he noticed was the ying-yang sign on the guy's forehead. It was Equilibrium's calling card.

"I needed to get your attention," a high nasally voice rang out from above Bruce. He scanned the fire escape of the apartment building in front of him not seeing where it was coming from. There were shadows up along the building cast by the street lamps down the road. The three stories were a dark gray; which didn't help.

"You got it. Now show yourself," Bruce yelled out while disguising his voice.

Out of the darkness a figure descended the stairs till he was on the second level. The man was hunched over wearing a suit that resembled the ying-yang sign he loved so much. His light hair was scraggily and stood up at odd angles. The man was definitely Equilibrium. "Look at the mess I caused," the man tsked before conjuring up a squeal of a laugh. It reminded Bruce of a rodent. "But I must say Mr. Morris had it coming."

Bruce spun his head back to the car where he finally recognized Robert Morris. The man ran a non-profit homeless shelter that Wayne Foundations had contributed to the year before. Robert was a good man who had given his life to help those less fortunate than him. To Bruce he was the real hero.

"He was a good man who did nothing to you," Bruce felt his fists clench by his side. People like Equilibrium disgusted him.

"You see the problem with you Bat. May I call you Bat?" The smile that Equilibrium gave him made Bruce's stomach turn. "The problem with you is you set the world off its axis. I'm in the game of evening things out."

"How does killing an innocent man even things out?"

Equilibrium placed his hand on his chin emphasizing the fact that he was mulling over the question. His head was cocked to one side. The angle made him appear as if he was going to fall over. "All in due time my friend, all in due time. But for now I really must be going."

Equilibrium took off in what seemed more like a gallop than a run. Bruce couldn't let him get away so he took off up the stairs and into the second story hallway where Equilibrium had gone. Bruce stopped as he entered scanning the fluorescent-lit hallway. Each door was painted an offensive brown and none seemed to be moving. Then he heard a bang resound from further up. He sprinted towards the sound when he noticed a door off the end that led to a staircase. He grabbed the metallic door handle and as he turned it a blast resounded through the hall. Bruce was thrown back against the opposite wall.

It took him a minute to catch his breath as the wind was knocked out of him but he shook it off. There were flames all around him from the bomb that had gone off. Tenants were flying out their doors all heading towards the stairs that were now gone.

"Use the fire escape," Bruce prompted to one of the women who had a child tucked between her legs. She turned away and started directing all the chaos out the other door. The air was filled with smoke and the screams of frightened parents. Standing to his feet, Bruce went to inspect the stairwell that had been standing just moments before. Where ever Equilibrium had gone he was no longer in the building.

* * *

><p><em>Nineteen Years Ago…<em>

_Rachel stood outside of Wayne Manor looking up at the place that she had thought of as home. There were flowers all around the front. Reds, purples, and yellows gave the place a bright and cheery look. _ _She wouldn't have been surprised if they had been flown in from other parts of the country. It really gave the old place a homey feel that she knew didn't reach to the inside. Bruce had always felt trapped there as if it was his own personal prison. When she was younger she hadn't understood but with age came wisdom. _

_ After two years of avoiding Bruce like the plague she wasn't sure what she was doing there. He had made it obvious that night years ago that she wasn't what he was looking for. It still hurt like a fresh wound to her heart. She had always loved him. Bruce had this wounded animal feel to him that drew her in like a moth to light. _

_ Ascending the front steps she prayed for the courage to turn around and walk away. Instead with a shaky hand she knocked three times and hoped that no one would answer. At first she thought her prayers had been answered but then an old familiar face peeked out. _

_ "Miss Dawes, how lovely to see you," Alfred smiled in his timeless way that always made her want to reach out and give him a hug. The old man was the closest thing to a father Bruce had and for that Rachel was grateful. There was no better role model than the man standing in front of her. He was a man of quiet strength and lasting loyalty. "I had heard that you were on break."_

_ "Yup, even aspiring lawyers have to take a break sometime."_

_ "I'm sure your mother is very proud of you as we all are," Alfred stepped to the side allowing her to enter the house. _

_ The place hadn't changed since she was gone. It was immaculate as usual giving off its museum like ambiance. In a way it surprised her that Bruce hadn't put his own little touch on it. Being that he was an adult and now would have full ownership of the property it made sense that he would make it homier. Wayne Manor definitely wasn't family friendly. _

_ "I was wondering if Bruce was home," she asked turning back to Alfred. _

_ "He has some guests over let me see if I can pull him away," Alfred turned to leave._

_ "No, that's okay. I didn't know he had company. I'll come back later."_

_ "Nonsense. I'm sure he would be happy to see you. You took him by surprise at the party the other night," Alfred winked. He seemed to take personal pleasure in driving Bruce crazy. Just like a father…_

_ Rachel was left alone in the living room or what she assumed was the living room. With the amount of rooms in the house she wouldn't be surprised if there were more than one. She hadn't really seen most of the house. When she was little they would hang out outside or sometimes in the kitchen where his cook would give them treats. _

_ The hours they had spent together had run through her mind a lot over the last two years. Bruce had been her best friend and when they had stopped communicating it had felt like a piece of her was missing. She couldn't count how many times she had picked up the phone wanting to hear his voice on the other end. It was a comforting voice, deep and mellow. The kind of voice she would like to fall asleep to every night for the rest of her life. _

_ The thought sent a bolt of electricity careening from her heart and out to each of her limbs. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest at how inappropriate the thought was. She was dating again. After a year and a half of torture she had moved on. Matt really was a great guy. He had a great job and cared about her. What more could she ask for?_

_ "Hey stranger."_

_ Rachel felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Without turning around she knew he was right behind her. The energy from his body mingled with hers in an age-old dance that she knew by heart. She turned slowly hoping not to touch him. "Hi."_

_ "At least this time you didn't spill a drink in my shoe," he chuckled._

_ Rachel glanced down at his feet; which were bare of any shoes. He was dressed in a pair of trunks and obviously had been out by the pool. Rachel couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from his bare chest. He had been good looking in his teens, all legs and arms but now he was filled out. _

_ "As I recall it was you who bumped into me," Rachel got past the dry lump in her throat. The man was handsome to the point where her hands were itching to run down his smooth chest. _

_ "We'll go with that."_

_The air suddenly went tense as they stood taking each other in. She wondered if he had missed her the way she had missed him. Her world had truly felt empty without him. Each night she would fall asleep with him being the last things that went through her mind. _

"_How have you been," she asked breaking the awkward silence. _

"_Good. I was surprised to see you the other night."_

"_Well, Matt was invited and when I found out who was hosting the party I couldn't stay away," she answered shyly. _

"_I'm glad you came. You look great," the compliment caused heat to flood Rachel's cheeks. _

"_So do you. I wasn't sure…"_

"_Bruce baby I'm getting lonely," a blonde woman in a skimpy bikini rounded the corner. Her body was devoid of any fat Rachel could see with a flat stomach and shapely legs. The reason she could never catch Bruce's eye suddenly became obvious. Unlike the supermodel in front of her, that was now hanging off his shoulder, she was curvy and in need of a good workout. _

"_I see you're busy so I'll see myself out," Rachel turned feeling tears burn the back of her eyes. She wished that after all this time that he didn't have so much power over her. What should she care that he was seeing someone?_

"_Rachel wait," Bruce called after her. _

"_I shouldn't have showed up unannounced," she apologized giving him her best fake smile. _

"_I am kind of busy. I have some business associates out back that I'm trying to entertain. How about next time we meet on purpose? Dinner tomorrow night?"_

_Rachel gazed back at the blonde who had followed them towards the front door. Her floral bikini made Rachel want to roll her eyes. No one should look that good in a bikini. The thought of shoving a burger down the girl's throat made her feel a little better. _

"_Can I bring Matt," she asked hoping that with Matt there she wouldn't say or do anything she would regret. _

"_Sounds good."_

* * *

><p>Bruce stood at the front entrance gazing out at the road that Rachel would soon be driving down. The weekend had gone by quicker than he wanted. Every time he said goodbye to Savannah it killed him inside. Having her around and hating him was one thing, watching her drive away was another pain altogether.<p>

He was tired.

Tired of all the lies. Tired of all the nights he spent alone. He was just plain tired.

He knew that after she left he would have to pack his own bag and head towards the city. Being at Wayne Manor for the weekend had been entirely for Savannah. He had wanted to take her away from the city where bad men attacked innocent little girls.

"Bruce."

He turned to see Rachel standing beside him. He had been so focused on his thoughts that he hadn't seen her pull up. "We need to talk."

**Hey Readers,**

**Please, I am begging, someone leave a review. Anything. **

**Also, I wanted to give you a glimpse of the villain. What do you think so far?**


	6. Chapter 6

Rachel had a tense set to her shoulders and hadn't turned back to Bruce in the last two minutes. He knew that what he was asking of her wasn't going to be easy but he was done with pretending. Truth was he wasn't asking for her permission but telling her what he was going to do.

"No, Bruce. We decided not to tell her for her safety and with all that happened last week I am more certain that this is the right thing," she turned back to him frowning. When she did the lines beside her mouth became more pronounced. It was a testament to the years that had gone by.

"It's easy for you to dismiss me. You haven't been alone for the last eighteen years," Bruce placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose trying to keep his headache at bay. He had known it wouldn't be easy talking to Rachel but he hadn't expected her anger. She had always been the levelheaded one where he was the one who went in guns blazing. But this time the roles had reversed. "I want to be her father Rachel. Two weekends a month is not enough."

"Then maybe it's time you retire…"

Bruce took a deep breath trying to keep his calm. Her only answer over the years had been to stop being Batman. It just wasn't that easy for him. As much as he loved his family he had an obligation to the people of Gotham. "I can't do that. But Savannah is older now. She can handle this."

"Like I had to handle it. I almost miscarried Savannah that night. I still have a scar on my stomach from the bullet wound." Bruce could see the tears welling up in her eyes. It had been hard on both of them over the years but the plan they had come up with didn't work for him anymore. They had decided years ago that Rachel and Savannah would keep their distance so that if someone found out his true identity they wouldn't use them against him. "Aren't you tired Bruce? I am. I still dread waking up each morning and finding out that you are dead. Gosh. I thought I would be done with this by now. I've moved on. I'm with Harvey."

"I still love you Rachel. This change I'm talking about isn't just about Savannah. We have the opportunity to be the family we always talked about," Bruce knelt in front of Rachel who had taken a seat. He took her hands in his relishing how soft and warm they were. Bruce glanced around the cave gazing at the things that had kept them apart. It had been the only place he knew he could talk to Rachel without Savannah walking in.

"I can't Bruce. I love Harvey."

Bruce felt his heart break for the third time. After the second he was surprised that he still had a heart to break. Sometimes he thought her whole goal in life was to tear him apart. "Then I'm going to tell Savannah."

Rachel stood immediately to her feet," this is a decision we should make together as a team."

"What team," he screamed at her. The sound echoed off the walls before traveling down the tunnel towards the vehicle entrance. "We haven't been a team in years."

"Let's not fight about this. We both love Savannah and part of my hesitation comes from the fact that you just threw this at me. I need time to really think this over. It's not like we can undo it once we have told her."

Bruce knew she was right. It was a big decision that would include all of their lives changing. But the thought of change brought a smile to his face. No longer would he have to sneak into all of Savannah's big events. He could be that parent in the front row that embarrasses their child just by showing up. He recalled her sixth birthday party when he had hid in the back aching to take her in his arms and give her the hug he had held back. His days of watching her life from the sidelines were almost over.

"I got to go. I told Harvey he could have dinner with Savannah and me. You be careful tonight. I heard what happened with the bomb. Someone has to tell you that you're not a spring chicken anymore," Rachel laughed.

"Don't I know it. I have a bruise that would match our daughter's," Bruce lifted his shirt to show off the blue and yellow impression. He moved carefully so he wouldn't send pain down his side.

Rachel reached her hand out to gently touch his bruise. "I know Batman is a part of you but don't let him kill you."

Bruce smirked pulling his shirt back in place. "You say that as if we're not the same person."

Rachel shook her head," you're not."

* * *

><p><em>Bruce walked the empty halls of Wayne Manor with a rum and coke in his hand, minus the coke. It was a small consolation on his wounded heart. Dinner had not gone well that evening. Since Rachel had invited Matt he had asked Libby to come over. He still didn't know what had come over him but he had spent the whole night hanging all over Libby hoping to make Rachel jealous. Not to mention how he had thrown his wealth and status in her dates face. As if money could ever turn her head. Rachel wasn't hardwired like that. <em>

_ Personally, he didn't know why they had stayed through the whole dinner. By the time they had reached the entrees Bruce had wanted to deck himself. Libby had also been taken aback by his attitude and had walked out on him as soon as his guests had left. What a mess he had made!_

_ "What is wrong with you?"_

_ Bruce whirled to see Rachel advancing on him. She still had the sundress on that she had worn earlier. It was a cute little white dress with sunflowers on it. From the moment he had seen her in it he had wanted to take her upstairs and find out what was underneath it. "I thought you had left," he asked continuing his path towards his room. He was not in the mood to fight with her. _

_ "I did but I came back to find out what your damage is."_

_ "As soon as I figure it out I will get back to you." Bruce kept walking hoping she would take the hint. Unfortunately he knew her better. _

_ "If you didn't want me here why did you invite me," Rachel grabbed his arm and swung him around. Her eyes were steely and unforgiving. _

_ "You really want to know," he asked against his better judgment. Before anything happened he knew he was going to regret his next move, possibly for the rest of his life. As soon as she nodded he pushed her against the wall and devoured her mouth. She moaned into his mouth driving him crazier._

_ Lazily he dropped the glass on the floor that had held his rum not caring that with a crash it broke on the floor. He was so focused on the woman in his arms. Carefully he pulled her up until she was straddling him so that he could carry her to his bedroom. This time he wasn't going to push her away. _

* * *

><p>Savannah strolled into Gotham Academy with her head hung low. After all that had happened to her she knew she was going to be the name on everyone's lips. If it weren't her big breakup with long time boyfriend Drew, it would be the purple and yellow gash on her head. She had become a freak overnight.<p>

Entering her first class of the day Savannah gazed over at Drew's desk where he was currently laughing with her ex-friend Maggie who was coincidently Drew's ex-girlfriend. It seemed as if he had moved on quickly. The week before they hadn't even been on speaking terms. Now their heads were bent together, his brown and hers black. Savannah had to admit she was beautiful and it would be easy for her to get Drew back.

Taking a fortifying breath she headed towards her desk, which was right behind his. As she drew closer their laughter died down and the smile slipped off his face. "I'll talk to you later Mag," he said sending Maggie out of the classroom. Savannah watched Maggie go, proud of herself for not tripping her as she walked past.

"How are you feeling," he asked in Drew fashion. Even though he was hurting from their breakup he was more concerned about her.

"I'm okay. Glad to see you." A small smile broke out on his face and Savannah had to stop herself from reaching out and touching him. It was weird after three years of being together for him to be off limits.

"You know we still have a science project to work on together," he said nonchalantly. His green eyes searched her blue for some answer to an unvoiced question. "I could ask Mr. Green if we could switch partners."

"I'd rather not. I think we should try and be friends."

His eyes narrowed," to be honest with you Sav, I don't know if I can just be your friend."

Savannah rolled her eyes feeling like a bus had just backed over her. First he didn't want to date her now he didn't want to be her friend. Was she allowed any contact with him? It felt harsh after all they had been through. "So that's it. We don't talk to each other any more? You're just going to pretend that I don't exist?"

With a huff, Drew stood to his feet and grabbed her hand towing her behind him and out to the hallway. His hands were rough but achingly familiar. They walked hand in hand till they found a quiet place to themselves. Drew gently pushed her up against the wall placing both his hands on either side of her. "Is it that easy for you? Going back to being friends?"

Savannah thought of the alternative where they would never speak to each other and it hurt. Not only was he her boyfriend but also he had become her best friend. He was someone she could see spending the rest of her life with. If she felt she could fully trust him. Having parents who had dated their whole lives instead of settling down made Savannah wonder if she could do it. Did commitment issues run in families?

"If friends is my only option I'm going to take it."

Drew shook his head," oh Savannah. Why can't you just let go? I'm not your dad." Savannah wished with her whole heart that she could believe it. "For now let's just get through our science project and then I could use some space for a while."

Drew suddenly dropped his arms leaving Savannah feeling vulnerable. She guessed from that point on she was on her own. He turned to head back to the classroom but she stopped him. "I'm sorry Drew."

Lightly he placed his hand on the side of her face while giving her a kiss on her other cheek. Before he pulled back he whispered in her ear," I love you."

Without warning the tears she had meant to hold in started pouring down her cheeks. "I know."

Without anything else to say he walked away leaving her alone in the now empty hallway. The blue doors and white tile swam in front of her reminding her that she still had a whole day of classes left. If she had been a typical teenager she would have walked out but her mom wouldn't agree that a breakup constituted a day off. Even the horrible bruise on her head hadn't gotten her any sympathy.

Savannah slid down to the floor hugging her knees to her chest. She wasn't sure how things could get any worse but she was betting that they were going to. If history had taught her anything, her life was life a forest fire, one spark and her whole life was down for the count.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Savannah figured the best thing to do was take it to her best friend Chloe who would be waiting for her at lunch. At least then she could get things off her chest. The best way to start healing was to confide in someone. At least that is what her mother told her.

**Reviews are much appreciated! So please take a moment and leave me one, especially if you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

_Nineteen Years Ago…_

_Bruce tried to match the breaths he was taking to his steps. He had been chasing the man in front of him for the last ten minutes to no avail. At least this bad guy was smart enough to stay in shape he thought wryly. It didn't help that he had a lot of gear weighing him down. _

_It had been a fairly quiet night until Bruce had run into a bank robbery in process. There had been three men all wearing black ski masks and all black clothing. Runners they may have been, original they were not. The first one had gone down quickly with just a blow to the side of the face. The second had been trickier. Bruce had bobbed and weaved as the criminal picked up one of the poles that created the stand-by line and proceeded to use it as a weapon. The guy got one good knock to Bruce's side before Bruce caught it and brought it down on the guy's head. _

_Pulling his tracker out, Bruce started up his car and put it on Auto drive. The car would meet up with him so that he could catch the guy in front of him and he could go home to Rachel who was currently asleep in his bed. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his car drive past and pull up on the side street. The man in front of him was taken aback and fell down on the road._

_"Your night is over," he proclaimed stepping up to the man whose eyes were round as saucers. Bruce secured his hands before dropping the guy in his trunk and heading towards police headquarters. The night was almost over. He needed to drop the guy off, change out of his clothes, and sneak back into bed with Rachel before she realized that he had been gone. As far as she knew he just liked sleeping in. _

_ Bruce pulled into the police-parking garage until he reached the third level where the main entrance was. Right away he noticed Sgt. Gordon leaning against his car with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The man was of average height with messy brown hair and glasses that made him seem more serious. _

_ "I've got a package for you," Bruce said stepping out of the car and opening his trunk. The bank robber was squirming around trying his hardest to get out of his prison. Without sympathy Bruce pulled him out of the car and dropped him on the hard concrete. The moan of pain gave Bruce little satisfaction. _

_ "You're playing a deadly game citizen," Sgt. Gordon took another puff on his cigarette sending more smoke into the air. He didn't seem in a hurry to pick up the guy at his feet. "This late night game of yours is going to back fire."_

_ "I'll take my chances," he muttered heading back towards his car. "By the way, his buddies are waiting for you at Gotham Bank."_

_ "Note taken. Wait," Sgt. Gordon called to him. "If you are really set on doing this we could work together."_

_ "Sorry. I'm more of a solo act."_

_ "I can see that. But think of what we could do together. You're not bound by laws that I am. The only person you have to answer to is yourself." Gordon dropped his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. The overhead fluorescent lights flickered in the background. "Think about it and get back to me. We could clean up the streets of Gotham together."_

_ Bruce thought of all the crime that had been running rampant in the streets. The police force had become corrupt. The only person Bruce trusted fully was himself. The problem with that was he was just catching bad guys by accident. All of the bad guys he had stopped so far had been lucky timing. He would be driving by and catch them in the act. If he worked with the police they could give him heads up. _

_ "I'll think about it. How will I keep in contact with you," Bruce asked. _

_ "There is an old search light on top of the building. I will flash it three times and wait for you there."_

* * *

><p>The school library was home to all the social misfits during lunch; which Savannah assumed she had now become. She could be outside where her friends hung out but she knew Drew would be there. Unfortunately they shared the same friends.<p>

The library was filled with shelves of all sized books that hid a table in the back that she was now occupying. Her textbooks were piled haphazardly across the table so that if anyone passed by they wouldn't sit with her. She was happy dwelling in her misery alone. It had been two weeks since the breakup and still every night she went home and cried herself to sleep. The bad part was she no longer could hide her puffy eyes at school. Drew had seemed concerned but never stepped in to ask what was wrong.

Savannah took a moment to collect herself not wanting to cry in the middle of the school day. That would have completed her transformation into a social outcast.

"I thought I might find you here."

Savannah glanced up from her math homework to see Jake Palmer sauntering towards her. The guy always walked like he didn't have a care in the world. Savannah wondered what that was like. He was tall and broad shouldered for his age. The brown shirt he was wearing made his hazel eyes stand out.

"Are you still hiding from Drew," he asked pulling a chair out from under the table and settling down in it. He stretched his long legs out in front of him.

"No. I just love spending my lunch hour doing homework," she answered dryly. Pulling a brown strand that had come free back behind her ear, she went back to her math.

Jake placed his hand on top of her book so that she had to look up at him. "I came here to ask you out. Tomorrow night is Desiree's party. Only couples can come. Ring any bells?"

"What do you get out of it?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to see you get left out."

Savannah shook her head," as Drew's best friend I don't think going out with me is a good idea."

Jake leaned forward, his cocky smirk firmly in place. "I'm not afraid of Drew." Jake took Savannah's hand in his stroking it with his thumb. Again Savannah felt tears well up in her eyes. It had only been two weeks and she already missed being touched. "You're my friend Savannah. I'm not going to pick sides. Instead I'm going to take you to Desiree's party where we are going to spend the whole night hanging out. I'm going to make you laugh and dance with you until the sun comes up. If Drew has a problem with that, it's his problem."

Savannah smiled feeling the dark cloud that had been over her head disappear. "There is one problem."

"What's that," he asked.

"It's a costume party and we don't have costumes."

Jake seemed to contemplate it before a big grin broke out on his face. "I got it. We could go as Top Gun. You can be Goose to my Maverick."

"What? No, I can be Maverick to your Goose."

"We can discuss the specifics later. For now you are going to pick up your books and have lunch with me."

Savannah looked up into Jake's hazel eyes wondering for the first time why she couldn't have fallen in love with him. He was more relaxed than Drew. Drew was more of the romantic. When he loved, he loved deeply and unconditionally. If she had been with Jake it would have just been fun.

"I guess I will have lunch with you. If you insist."

"I do. Come on Savannah," Jake took the books out of her hands and together they walked out of the library.

* * *

><p><em>Bruce lay casually on the blanket Rachel had set up beside the lake. He had only gotten a few hours sleep after he made it home from his eventful night. He was still considering Sgt. Gordon's offer to help the police but he wasn't sure if that was the best thing for him. First of all he didn't want someone to discover his identity and more than that he wasn't sure how long he was going to keep working as the night patrolman. <em>

_ Beside him, Rachel was busy pulling out the breakfast she had made for them. There were containers with vibrant color fruits and some that had croissants. It was a beautiful morning that she wasn't going to let pass them by. The sky seemed bluer this morning and the bird's song a little sweeter. Everything seemed right now that he had Rachel. _

_ It had all started the night he had invited Matt and her to dinner. When she came back he had tried his hardest to stay aloof but he loved her. For the first time in a long time he was going to let himself be happy. _

_ "Where are you today," Rachel asked smoothing his hair back. "You seem a million miles away."_

_ "No way. There is no where I'd rather be," he answered settling her over him. She leaned down till her hair canopied them both. Her lips tentatively touched his growing more aggressive. _ _They were the softest lips he had ever kissed and playing Bruce Wayne, the playboy, he had kissed a few women. "I love you Rach."_

_ "I love you too," she replied before dropping down to lie beside him. Her breath fanned out on his face in a rhythm that matched his own. It was like they were two halves of a whole. _

_ "I'm going to miss you when you're gone," Bruce said hoping that they would broach the subject of their future. Neither one of them had put a label on what they were. As far as Bruce was concerned the only label he wanted to put on her was "wife." _

_ "You know I've been thinking about transferring my credits to the University here. I don't need to go to school out of state."_

_ She seemed anxious for him to respond but he knew he couldn't do it. It had been her dream to go away to school and he wasn't going to take it from her. If he asked her to move back, pushing her away that night would have been all for nothing. He had to earn her love. _

_ "Yes, you do," he started. "You need to go to school out of state and become a big time lawyer and anything else you have your sights on. You can't stay here for me."_

_ "I'd do anything for you Bruce," she kissed his cheek before burrowing back into his side. Her statement hurt worse than she could ever know. Part of him was elated to hear how much he meant to her but he knew he wasn't good enough for her. He just hoped that the work he did at night would make him feel worthy of her. She was the whole inspiration behind his work. _

_ "Then come back to me. After you have finished school and maybe dated a few more guys. Come back to me."_

_ Rachel took an exasperated breath," I'm not going anywhere. I'll leave my heart here with you." With nothing else to say she poured orange juice in two glasses and handed him one. Bruce took a sip letting the acidic liquid settle on his empty stomach. He was more than ready to chop down on the feast she had prepared. _

_ "I can't imagine what it must be like to live here. It's beautiful," Rachel, said grabbing a strawberry and popping it into her mouth. _

_ Bruce kept his mouth shut but found it difficult. He wanted to give her everything she wanted and more. Hopefully one day he could take her home to live at Wayne Manor, but for now he would have to bide his time. _

_ The next morning Bruce and Rachel held on to each other taking in the last few moments they got together. Alfred had the car all ready to take her to the airport where she would be flying out of Bruce's life for the second time. It was heart breaking listening to her soft sobs against his chest. _

_ "Tell me this is real and you're going to be here when I get back," she sniffled._

_ "Of course. I'm not going anywhere," he answered dropping his head in her hair and giving her a final kiss. She put on a brave face turning and getting in the car. Alfred closed the door behind her and gave him a nod. _

_ Bruce knew he should be getting ready for work but he couldn't seem to make his legs move. He felt in his heart that that was going to be the last time he saw her. He could feel it in every part of his being. _

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	8. Chapter 8

Bruce rubbed the stubble on his face while thumbing through all the papers he had collected on Equilibrium. The first thing he had checked into was the ying-yang sign. According to Asian philosophy the ying-yang represented how polar opposites were interconnected in the natural world. It came down to a belief that opposites only exist in relation to each other; which made sense why Equilibrium thought he set the world off it's axis. While Bruce was out making the streets safer, Equilibrium equaled it out with bad.

"Thought you might like a cup of coffee," Alfred breezed into the room with a tray of coffee fixings. The old coffee cups were blue and chipped from being in the family for generations.

"Thanks Alfred," he smiled at the old man. Grabbing the cream and sugar, Bruce poured in an ample amount hoping to give him some energy. He was trying hard to hide it but he was getting old. It wasn't easy to stay up all night like it had been when he first became Batman. At twenty years old the world was his playground but at thirty-eight it was more like his couch.

Alfred picked up the paper Bruce had been reading and glanced through it. "Ying-yang. Haven't seen one of these signs in a while."

"I've seen too many of them lately," Bruce brushed his hand through his hair. Every death caused by Equilibrium weighed heavy on his shoulders.

"He killed another last night," Alfred asked gazing at the morning paper that was also on the table.

"Yup. This time it was a woman. Her name was Brianna Ferguson. Worked for Gotham Ministries which keeps the homeless fed and housed." It was also another person he had met through Wayne Foundations. All the murders were getting highly suspicious. They all had a tie to Wayne Foundations and the thought that it could be one of his employees was starting to nag at him.

"It's tragic. Someone gives their life to helping others and are murdered for their work."

"He seems to think that for every good action he has to counter attack it with something bad." Bruce brought the coffee cup to his mouth and blew on it before taking a tentative sip.

"Bruce," Rachel's voice echoed throughout the apartment.

He found her in the entryway staring at the water fountain that was erected when he first moved in. She was breathtaking in a knee-length pea coat that was a deep red. The color played nicely with her luxurious hair that was back away from her face. "I hope you don't mind but I used the key you gave me."

"That's fine," he said finding it hard to speak. She hadn't used the key to his apartment in years. He had given it to her after Savannah was born when he still had hopes for their future. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to throw it out there." Rachel fidgeted, wringing her hands in front of her. "Harvey asked me to move in with him. Well, Savannah and me."

"That's great," Bruce lied sinking down to sit on the side of the fountain. The thought of her moving in with Harvey hurt worst than he would expect. After being apart for fourteen years, letting her go shouldn't be that hard.

Rachel sat down beside him taking his hand in hers. "I know this isn't fair but I came because I want your blessing."

Bruce could feel the proverbial knife slicing through his back. He knew she didn't ask for his blessing to rub it in his face but that didn't change how it came off. "Does he make you happy?" She nodded. "Then you don't need my blessing. You have a career. You raised our daughter. You don't need anything from me." He jerked his hand away from hers and stood to leave. He had research to do on Equilibrium and she was keeping him from it.

"That's not the only reason I cam over," Rachel snapped. Obviously she had noticed that he had brushed her off. "I've been thinking about what you said about Savannah knowing about Batman and I think it's a bad idea."

"You would," he practically snorted. He'd had enough of her and wanted her gone as soon as possible.

"Would you let me finish," she asked. Bruce held out his hand so that she knew she had the floor. "Thank you. I may not agree about Batman but I do think you need to be in her life more. Harvey has been a good dad to her…."

"I'm her dad," he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"You don't think I know that? Do you have any idea how hard it's been to look at her some days? She's you Bruce. Everything she does reminds me of you. All her courage, feeling of responsibility, and her inability to let people in, it's all you." Rachel placed her hands on her hips standing in the same position he had seen her use on their daughter. It spoke of authority and unshakeable beliefs. Taking a calming breath she continued," Harvey has been a good stand in dad but she needs you. So for now I think you should get her every weekend and maybe you should stop by for a few family dinners."

Bruce wished he could get more out of both of them but he wasn't going to sneer at what he got. Any time he got to spend with his family made him happy.

* * *

><p>Savannah was studying at her desk attempting to finish her math homework that she had been working on earlier. It was early in the evening but still the sun had already set. From her window, Gotham turned in to a wonderland of lights. Office buildings twinkled and streetlights came alive. It was one of the better parts of living in an apartment. There wasn't anything wrong with living in an apartment but it paled in comparison to Wayne Manor. Her family home was her favorite place in the whole world. It was the place she had grown up.<p>

Wistfully she thought back to the last time they had stayed at Wayne Manor as a family. It had been her fourth birthday and even now she could remember her parents acting weird. Neither of them had spoken to the other. They had just walked around with a gloomy look on their faces.

A sharp knock on the door snapped Savannah from her musings. She closed her math book around the multiple notebook pages and headed towards the door. Standing on the other side was Chloe, her blond bob framing her face. "Hello bestie," she beamed sweeping past Savannah and settling on the couch.

"Nice to see you," Savannah answered closing the door. She noticed that Chloe had already donned her pajamas that were a pink and yellow vertical striped set of pants and a pink tank top. They had been a present from Savannah for her last birthday and she had liked them so much that she had bought a set in green. "You alone tonight too?"

"Yup, my mom is working late tonight and my dad has his bowling league. How boring."

"Harvey took mom out to dinner." Savannah flopped down on the red sofa smelling the air freshener her mother had sprayed. It was a mix of vanilla and honey.

"So, I missed you at lunch today," Chloe snuggled against the beige throw pillow on the love seat. It was her favorite spot when she was over.

Savannah smiled at the not so stealth like way Chloe had tried to bring up Jake. "I missed you too," she said knowing it would grate on Chloe's nerves.

Chloe snapped to attention taking the motherly stance her friend had perfected. Her hands were on her hips, feet spread hip width apart, and her eyes narrowed. For some it would be considered intimidating but she knew her friend was a pussycat in lion's clothing. "Don't play that game with me Savannah Nicole Wayne. I want to know what is going on with Jake and you."

"Nothing okay," Savannah stood to her feet not wanting to give Chloe the upper hand. "He was just being nice. That's all." Savannah rubbed her arms noticing that a chill had fallen on the room. Or it could have been her insecurities about hanging out with Jake.

"It didn't look like nothing and I'm not the only one who noticed," Chloe admonished. "Drew kept his eyes on you the whole time. You should have seen him. He was practically green with envy."

Savannah's heart leapt at the admission. She hoped Drew missed her as much as she missed him. It had taken everything in her not to call and beg him to take her back. As far as she was concerned he would have to come crawling back to her. "He has nothing to worry about. Jake and I are just friends."

"Oh, so then the rumor I heard of him taking you to Desiree's party are wrong," Chloe's eyebrow rose till it vanished beneath her bangs.

Dang it, Savannah thought. Why couldn't anyone in high school keep a secret? They would have to learn quickly before it really came back to bite them in the butt. "No, they aren't wrong. Jake and I are going to the party."

"Savannah, what are you doing? I thought you wanted Drew back?" The exasperated blond landed on the love seat with a bounce.

"I do. Listen I'm just hanging out with Jake for fun and Drew shouldn't be at this party anyways. The party is for couples only."

"Like that is going to stop people from talking about you showing up with Jake. Not to mention that some of our friends are going to be there. Don't you think they will feel obligated to tell him?"

Savannah lowered her head into her hands feeling a headache coming on. On one hand she didn't want to hurt Drew but she also didn't want to avoid Jake just because of what others thought. Some people needed to learn to mind their own business. "I'm going to this party. With Jake."

"Fine," Chloe settled back into the seat crossing her arms over her chest. "But at this moment I'm going to invoke my right to say I told you so when things go bad."

"Fine," Savannah stuck her tongue out at Chloe. A beige pillow came flying by her head in response. She ducked but still the rough fabric smacked into her face.

"I only bring this up because I care about you. Drew is the one for you."

A sad smile played across Savannah's face," I know. He's right though. If this is all I can give him, it's not fair to string him along. I don't want to be pressured into saying I love you if I'm not ready."

"But you do love him. Anyone can see that," Chloe crossed the space between them and sat down beside Savannah. "Why do you hesitate?"

Savannah felt tears well up in her eyes. "I don't know. It's a big commitment that I'm not sure I can make."

Chloe shook her head but didn't say another word about it. That was just how she was. She knew when to press an issue and when to hold back. After being friends for most of their lives, she had their friendship down to a science.

Savannah leaned her head back against the couch fully aware of the problem she was creating. It was true that Drew would hear all about her "date" with Jake but would it change things between them? It's not as if they had been the closest friends since the breakup anyways. Then she was also concerned about how the date would affect Drew and Jake's friendship. Would Drew think that Jake was after her in a romantic sense? She had never shown any interest in Jake beyond the platonic kind. He was cute with his muscular build and boyish looks but the thought had never crossed her mind.

"I say we forget all about your boy troubles and put in a movie. Something funny and upbeat."

"Yeah, that sounds good. But no tear jerk ending. I have cried enough lately," Savannah got to her feet to look through her mother's movie collection. All she wanted to do for the rest of the evening was watch a movie with Chloe and forget her problems.

**Sorry this took so long. I've been super busy. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey Readers,**

**Anon brought it up to me that the timeline is a bit confusing and I'm not sure how I'm going to clear it up but just know that everything is in chronological order. All the flashbacks are happening as they would if they weren't flashbacks.**

Nineteen Years Ago…

_Bruce watched from the top of a pile of cargo crates as a secret gathering happened below him. He stood tall not worrying that they would see him since he blended into the shadows. The lights in the room hung below him illuminating only a five-foot radius in an orange glow. Sgt. Gordon had informed him that the mob was mobilizing a big drug deal and any information he could give to the cops would help. _

_There were six men below him standing on opposite sides. Each man the epitome of Italian gangster with their slicked back hair and heavy accent. The air was thick with tension with each of them having a firm hand on his gun. The whispered voices made Bruce lean forward catching only every other word but what he could hear led him to believe that this was just an exchange of sorts. The Marino's on his right held a briefcase with papers indicating a separate rendezvous point where the drugs would change hands. _

_Bruce could tell it was time to get involved by the restless energy that fell over the room. His only chance was to get into the briefcase and find the exchange point Gordon wanted. Taking inventory of the room around him, Bruce pulled a can of tear gas off his tool belt. He would only have a few minutes to locate the man with the briefcase, get in it, and replace it before anyone knew who was there. _

_Slinking through the shadows Bruce donned his gas mask and pulled the pin filling the room with white smoke. There were shouts as the men ran towards the exit. One stumbled against him before falling face first to the floor. Bruce picked up speed watching the mayhem around him. _

_He reached the man with the briefcase tripping him up so that the case fell out of his hands. Since the man couldn't see he felt along the floor trying to locate where it had fallen. Bruce reached it first grabbing it and squatting down away from the chaos. With little effort he got the case open, took pictures of the pages, and placed it all back inside. _

_Pulling himself back up the crates he watched as the cloud disappeared and found that the room was empty. The man must have grabbed the case as he left the old warehouse. The operation had been a calculated risk but it had paid off. Now two crime bosses would be taken down. _

_Hours later Bruce struggled to keep his eyes open as he made his way to his bedroom. The sun was starting to peak over the horizon warning him that he had missed a whole nights sleep. It wasn't the first time nor would it be the last. He had work to do as Batman and a little tiredness was not going to stand in his way. _

_Bruce stretched feeling the pull in his shoulders all the way down his back. Like other times he heard his bones crack followed by instant relief. He would have to remember to schedule an appointment with his chiropractor. Some of the moves he had pulled lately had thrown his back all out of whack. _

"_Bruce," he swung around feeling his heart jump out of his chest. He didn't expect anyone at his house at six in the morning. Rachel stood at the door with a worried look on her face. "I didn't mean to scare you."_

_As the pounding of his heart died down he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Working as Batman had started to make him jumpy. Not to mention that he didn't know how she got in. Wayne Manor was under heavy surveillance. "How did you get in here?"_

_Rachel shrugged," Alfred let me in last night."_

"_You've been here all night?" Bruce shifted feeling pain in his lower back. He would have to take it easy for the next few nights. _

_Rachel slinked down to the chair that was behind her. It was backed up against the wall in an alcove. "I needed to talk to you. I was in school the other day trying to pay attention to what the teacher was saying but my mind was on you. You're all I can think about and I've decided that I don't belong there anymore. I belong with you."_

_ Bruce sank to his knees in front of her cupping her face in his hands. Her skin was soft to the touch and called to him to run his hands all over her. "Marry me Rachel," he said more as a statement than a question. He had known all along that they belonged together. _

_ "You mean it," she asked shaking slightly underneath his fingertips. He nodded causing her to fall in his arms, both of them landing on the floor. Bruce winced trying to hide the pain he was in. A little backache was not going to take away his happiness. She was finally his. _

_Only the slight concern over her finding out about Batman kept Bruce from being fully ecstatic. It was funny how his alter ego, who was created with her in mind, had to be hidden. There was no way he was going to share the burden with her._

* * *

><p>Savannah arrived at Desiree's party in full Top Gun garb. Her mother had picked up a flight suit for her that was green and cinched at the waist. The only other part to her costume was a pair of aviator glasses and some dog tags.<p>

Up against the side of the house Jake stood waiting for her also decked out in a green flight suit. His uniform had the name Maverick on his where hers said Goose. He looked handsome with the aviator glasses on and the cocky tilt to his head. If Savannah didn't know any better he could have come as Iceman.

Around the house people were gathered all dressed in some funky costume. The music blared out the open windows. The house was located in the suburbs; which she assumed was Desiree's weekend home. Each house on the block was properly manicured with no blade of grass out of place. It was somewhere her dad would live unlike her mom who was not afraid of a mess.

"You look…great," Jake commented dropping a quick kiss on her cheek. Savannah could feel a blush tinge her cheek. It may have only been two weeks but she missed having male attention.

"You don't look bad yourself."

Beside them a couple walked by as John Smith and Pocahontas. They were talking animatedly barely giving Jake and her a glance. Maybe she would be luckier than she thought. Maybe no one cared that they were there together. The true test would be when she ran into her friends.

"We have a long night ahead of us. You ready to hit the dance floor," he asked offering her his hand. His fingers were long and as they took her hand they seemed to swallow hers up.

"Let's go Mav."

"After you Goose," he answered back with a slight chuckle in his voice. They walked through the throng of dancers. He would comment on each costume as they passed by. Some were wildly outrageous while some were more subdued. At the end of the night, or more correctly, the morning Desiree would pick her favorite costume and the person who won would be holding the next party. It was a sort of "passing the torch" ritual.

Jake found a space for them on the dance floor close to the window that overlooked the front yard. From inside she could see the throngs of people still waiting to get in. It would come to a point where the party would overflow onto the neighbor's yards. Hopefully the cops wouldn't be called but by the look of the houses she had passed when she pulled up, nobody had stayed for the weekend.

As the hours wore on Savannah found that she liked spending time with Jake. It had been a long time since she had spent time with any guy other than Drew. He had monopolized most of her time for the last three years and even her friendship with Chloe had suffered. The past week Chloe had been hanging out at her house as much as possible to make up for lost time. They had done each other's nails and watched a marathon of chick flicks. If only it had stopped Savannah from missing Drew.

Even though her friends tried to help her move on, Drew was never far from her thoughts. The smallest thing could trigger a memory of them together. Like the flowers Harvey bought for her mother earlier that week. They had been the same white roses that Drew had given her for valentine's the year before. Then it also struck her with some of the things Jake would say to her. Their movements and how they phrased things were identical. She guessed that is what happens when you are friends with someone so long.

The worst part of the separation had been the days she had seen him at school. He walked around as if he didn't have a care in the world even though her heart was breaking a little more every day. His friendship with Maggie had also been healed as soon as Maggie had found out that they broke up. She had shamelessly been throwing herself at him ever since.

As if she conjured Maggie from her thoughts, the girl walked in with Drew trailing behind her. They looked cozy together dressed up as Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Savannah's eyes narrowed wishing for the first time that looks could kill. Maggie would be dead in her spot.

Unlike her, the happy couple didn't seem to notice her dancing with Jake across the room. They seemed to be talking about the costumes since they were both pointing at people they passed. When Drew leaned down to whisper something in Maggie's ear an alarm went off inside Savannah. Her blood was pumping so hard she could hear its rhythm pulsing in her ears.

Without regards to others in the room she abruptly turned and intercepted the couple before they reached the kitchen. "Hey Drew. What are you doing here," she asked icily yelling over the music.

"He's here with me. Now if you don't mind we were going to get a drink," Maggie answered for Drew who was looking quite guilty.

"I wasn't talking to you," Savannah bit back. "I want to know why you are here with her."

"Probably the same thing you are doing with Jake," Drew answered. He had a deep frown on his face that spoke of how uncomfortable he was.

"Jake and I are friends which is more than I can say about you two. She wouldn't even talk to you while we were dating."

"Friends? Is that what we are calling it these days," he asked sarcastically. Grabbing her arm roughly he led her a few feet away so that they wouldn't be heard by Maggie. "We're not dating anymore so I don't have to answer to you."

"You're right," she smiled hoping to make him mad. "So what I do with Jake is none of your business." She turned to leave him when a thought struck her. After all they had been through she wanted him to feel all the pain he had dropped in her lap by breaking up and she knew just how. "You know, if you wanted to date Maggie so bad you could have just left me earlier."

Savannah watched Drew's nose flare and realized she had hit her mark. He grabbed her arm again this time eliciting a small cry from her. "How dare you. My feelings have never been in question."

"Yet you make it look so easy to leave me," she said as her first tear fell.

Instantly his grip loosened from her wrist. His eyes filled with a longing she didn't understand. Was he regretting their breakup? He had been the one to initiate it.

"Get out of here Savannah," he said brokenly. "Go find Jake."

She hesitated for a moment but turned to leave realizing that there was nothing worth sticking around for. They were still at am impasse and she wasn't sure if they would ever meet again.

Jake was standing a few feet away watching the whole exchange. "Wanna get out of here," he asked as she stopped in front of him. As she nodded her put his arm around her and directed her towards the front door. The crowd around her, which had been minding their own business a few moments ago, all turned to look at her tear streaked face. Great, she thought, another reason for people to be talking about her on Monday.

"You know we still have the whole night ahead of us. How about I get us a cab back to your mom's and we rent a movie? Chill out."

"Sounds good but I'm at my dad's this weekend. It's obviously not enough that I see him every other weekend."

"Your dad's it is," Jake said hailing the cab that was dropping off another couple heading towards Desiree's party.

**Hey,**

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**Please leave me a review!**


	10. Chapter 10

Eighteen Years Ago…

_Rachel walked the halls of Wayne Manor listlessly only wearing her flimsy nightgown and silk robe. The place was shrouded in darkness holding in the chill of an autumn night. She would have donned something sturdier but she figured Alfred would have gone to bed hours before. Now it was only her and the moon strolling the night. _

_The old place felt empty since Bruce had decided for the third time that week to go missing. As hard as she tried she could no longer hold the thought that he was having an affair at bay. They may have only been married for six months but Rachel knew the signs of infidelity. He had become distracted and made excuses to stay out at all hours of the night. Every time he made the excuse that he had to work late, Rachel felt her heart break a little more. _

_The doubt that had manifested in her chest, squeezing off her air supply, had finally led her to do the unthinkable. She was going to invade his private office. He had never specifically said she couldn't go in but it had been implied. The door was always locked and she had never been given a key. _

_Standing outside the door she glanced in either direction hoping that she wouldn't be caught on her little adventure. The only problem was getting in. It would be suspicious if the doorknob had been messed with but there had been no evidence of a break in anywhere else. Rachel grabbed the brushed nickel antique knob and hoped that it would turn on it's own. _

_Nothing._

_Not being deterred from her mission, she reached up over the door feeling the trim for a hidden key. Mostly her fingers registered the dust balls their housekeeper had missed when her hand grazed across something cold. She wrapped her fingers around it and pulled it down. _

_Bingo!_

_The door gave way to an average-sized room. It had built-ins on three walls that housed a library's worth of books. In the center was a massive mahogany desk that had carvings all around. It looked as if it had been in the family for years. On top of it stood a newer computer and a desk calendar that had marking all over it. According to the paper he would be out of town for a few days the following week. She wondered why he hadn't told her. Was he meeting this mystery girl?_

_She wasn't sure where she should start her search or what she was looking for but she believed his desktop would be the perfect place. If he were sending love letters through his email she would find it. _

_The screen took a whole minute to boot up and like all good CEO's he had it password encrypted. She hesitated for a moment but typed her name in with the computer telling her that it was incorrect. Of course he wouldn't have her name as the password. It would have been too easy to hack by any corporate spy's. She tried a few words that popped right into her head but each came up negative. _

"_Ok Bruce. What is your password," she spoke aloud to herself. She had used every possible thing she could think of but nothing had worked._

_Rachel leaned back heavily in the seat placing her arms on the side of the computer chair. There wasn't much she could do if she couldn't get into his files. She glanced around the room trying to think of anything when she noticed a sign above the door. It said ma petite fleur; which meant my little flower. He had called her that many times and she figured it was worth a try. _

_This time when she entered it his screen opened up to his desktop. His background was one of the photos from their wedding causing Rachel to swallow down the guilt that had built in her throat. Wasn't she being as sneaky as he was? _

"_What are you doing in here," a voice boomed from the doorway. _

_Rachel yelped turning to find her husband standing in the doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest and a scowl was plastered on his face. _

"_Did you find anything interesting," he asked standing as still as granite. His cheek clenched making the bone stand out. She had never seen him so angry and it shook her to the core. _

"_I should ask you the same question," she said hearing a slight tremble in her voice. "Been working late again?"_

"_I had somewhere I had to be. We can talk about it in the morning. Let's go to bed," he turned to leave and she followed behind him reluctantly. She had to know. There was no way she could live in silence any longer._

"_Who is she," she said to his retreating back. He paused and spun on his heel a look of confusion played across his face. _

"_I don't understand."_

"_You're gone most nights telling me that you have to work late. I'm not stupid so tell me who it is."_

_Bruce walked back to her placing his hands on her arms. "You think I'm cheating on you?"_

"_What am I supposed to think? You are sneaking out of bed at night." Rachel took a steadying breath. It hurt to think of her Bruce with anyone else. "If you are done with me tell me now Bruce… We're having a baby."_

_Bruce's jaw dropped but was quickly replaced by a brilliant smile. "Really?" Rachel nodded just before Bruce swept her up in his arms. "That's great!"_

_For the time being she decided that she would let his late night absences rest. It was obvious how happy he was about the baby and she wasn't going to take that away from him. Hopefully with time she could coax him into sticking around. Whatever was out there that was stealing his attention would not break her family up. _

* * *

><p>Bruce pulled up outside the arcade and mini golf building and glanced over at his daughter who was diligently staring out the window. From the angle she looked exactly like Rachel when she was Savannah's age. Her cute upturned nose and pouty lips made Bruce reminisce about days past.<p>

He could remember driving Rachel back to Wayne Manor after Greg Moran had broken up with her. They had parked under the tree where he had pulled her into his lap and let her cry on his shoulder. High school love was always more dramatic than they needed to be. When she had finished sobbing Bruce couldn't help but drop his lips to hers and kiss her till they were both breathing hard. "He doesn't deserve you," he had whispered. Rachel had pushed herself back into her seat and gazed out the window exactly like Savannah.

"Really dad? The arcade stopped being cool when I turned twelve about the time I started noticing boys." Savannah turned to him with an expression on her face that clearly told him how uncool he was. It was funny but he figured laughing at her would not help his cause. This was the first weekend he had her on time that was officially Rachel's. By Savannah's attitude he realized that she wasn't happy with the change. She had spent most of her teen years pretending he didn't exist.

"Yes, really. Humor me. I'm an old man." Bruce stepped out of his BMW glad to hear Savannah's door close right behind his. He knew that if she wanted to cause a scene she could. His daughter was a grade "A" drama queen when she wanted to be. The weird part was that she was only like that with him. Normally she was a good, down to earth, responsible kid. Rachel told him she might even be salutatorian depending on where her grades fell in the last two quarters.

"You're going to make me do this," she asked placing her hands on her hips and leaning forward like she was chastising a child.

"Yup and while we do I will be nonchalantly throwing in questions about the boy I found you sleeping on the couch with this morning." Bruce had walked into his apartment that morning feeling lighter than usual when he had found his daughter cuddled up to a guy she later told him was Jake.

"I told you earlier nothing happened. We left Desiree's party early and fell asleep while we were watching a movie."

Although he had wanted to rough the boy up, Bruce had decided to let it go hinting that Jake should get lost. So Savannah and him had spent the morning having breakfast in uncomfortable silence.

"Is this the new guy in your life," Bruce placed the money for a game of mini golf to the clerk who passed them two clubs and colored balls. One of them was pink and the other blue.

Savannah snatched the pink one tossing it up in the air and catching it again. "No. He is just a friend. Desiree's party was couples only and since I was pretty much the only one in our group of friends who didn't have a date he offered to take me. He didn't want me to feel left out."

"That was nice of him. What did Drew think about you going with Jake?"

They strolled up to hole number one, which was the easiest. It was straight with a little curve at the end but nothing too hard. Savannah dropped her ball on the tee and settled into her swing. With a little push she got the ball rolling till the ball stopped just on the lip of the hole. "Looks like you are going down."

Bruce adopted the swagger he used for his more "playboy" moments dropping the ball on the tee. He took a swing and watched the ball go sailing into the hole. "You spoke up too soon. Now answer the question."

Savannah shrugged," I'm sure he wasn't happy. Jake is Drew's best friend."

By the time they had reached the final hole Bruce had learned more about Jake and Savannah seemed to be relaxed. It wasn't often that she dropped her guard around him.

"You know your mom likes mini golf. I hired a company for her sixteenth birthday to install a course in the backyard at Wayne Manor. The look on her face when I showed it to her was priceless."

Savannah dropped her pink ball on the last tee and set up for her final hit. "Did you ever love my mom?"

Bruce watched her swing knowing right away that she was going to get a hole-in-one. "Of course I did. I still do."

"Then why didn't you ever marry her," Savannah asked looking mighty pleased with herself. That had been the first hole-in-one she had gotten the whole game where Bruce had three.

"I did. We were married for three good years."

Savannah looked shocked by the revelation. "Why didn't she ever tell me?"

"Did you ever ask?" He covered his eyes from the sun beating overheard.

"Well…no. I just assumed that if you had there would be pictures or something to link the two of you together. Do you have any wedding pictures?"

Bruce played through the last hole and turned them both toward the arcade. It was warm out making him feel parched. "Yeah somewhere. I could try and find them for you."

"Yeah. That would be cool. I bet mom looks great in a wedding dress. Maybe I will get to see her in one. I think Harvey wants to ask mom to marry him."

Bruce felt the familiar sinking feeling in his stomach. He had known the day would come when she would be whisked away by another man but the knowledge did little to block the pain. After all the years he still considered her to be his.

"He'll be a lucky man."

"Yeah. Mom is the greatest."

Bruce had to agree.

**Hello again readers! Hope you enjoyed this new installment. Please don't forget to leave a review!**


	11. Chapter 11

_Eighteen Years Ago_

_Bruce splayed his hand on top of Rachel's overly pregnant belly feeling his child move within her. Her eyes were closing from exhaustion and he was surprised she was still up. The clock beside the bed read just after eleven; which was a full hour after she normally fell asleep. Being pregnant had taken a lot out of Rachel and the doctor had classified her as a high-risk pregnancy. _

_He had been as vigilant as he could be, staying by her side most nights and neglecting his work as Batman, but he had an assignment with Sgt. Gordon taking down the mob drug deal that was finally coming to a head. When Bruce had interrupted the last meeting they had been cautious and changed the plans but a leak had given Sgt. Gordon the new drop off point. _

"_Bruce," Rachel called out to him shifting to her side even though he knew she couldn't stay that way long. The baby would crush her side and cause her pain. _

"_What's that," he asked dropping a kiss on her neck. Her skin was warm against his lips and he wondered if she was coming down with something. _

"_I think we should name her," Rachel said referring to their daughter. _

_Under his hand the baby was moving around making Bruce wonder how Rachel ever got any sleep. It seemed like every night when Rachel was heading to bed the baby would start her gymnastics routine. _

"_How about we talk about this tomorrow? I want you to get some sleep." Bruce pulled the covers up to her chin tucking her in like a child. _

"_Are you mothering me again," she asked rolling over on her back wincing slightly. "I'm not going to fall apart."_

"_Humor me," he chuckled dropping a final kiss on her forehead._

_It took two seconds after they stopped talking for Rachel to fall asleep. Her deep even breathing calmed Bruce's raw nerves. He knew that when he was out as Batman there was a chance he wouldn't make it home. Part of him wanted to be selfish and end his days as Batman but then there was a part of him that knew cops and first responders all put their lives on the line everyday. If they could do it so could he. _

_Hours later Bruce was once again hiding in the shadows watching a private meeting between two mob families. This time though the whole police department was behind him. His job was to help diffuse the situation before anyone got hurt. The meeting place of choice was on a dock on the outskirts of town. Bruce tried not to gag from the strong scent of raw fish that filled the air. _

_Out of the corner of his eye he saw the SWAT team move in to place guarding the south entrance. There was no way this drug deal was going through. Bruce would see to that. _

_When the SWAT team finally moved Bruce took off towards the taller crook to his right who snuck out in all the commotion. The man must have been over six-four with shoulders the width of a bull. In his hand was the briefcase holding the large sum of money that had been the purchase price. _

_The shipyard was scattered with buildings all sitting side-by-side causing the man to appear and disappear out of Bruce's sight. As he ran he felt his lungs take in cleansing air and expel the waste. He had worked hard to stay in shape and he was hoping to use that against the guy. Even if the guy was faster Bruce was sure he could outlast him. For the next fifteen minutes Bruce trailed behind the guy waiting for the guy to wear himself out. Eventually he ran into a small white building and slammed the door behind him. _

_As Bruce opened the door the briefcase smashed his face tossing him off balance. His head was spinning and it took him a minute to realize that his mask had been pulled off his face. The man in front of him smirked._

"_Hello Mr. Wayne," he said in a thick Italian accent. He seemed to think he had the upper hand now that the mask was gone because he stood rooted in front of Bruce with his arms crossed nonchalantly over his chest. _

"_It seems unfair that you know my name but I haven't been properly introduced to you," Bruce smiled back hoping to keep the guy calm. He wanted to exude an air of defeat._

"_Well since I'm going to kill you I seem no harm. It's Dominic." Dominic pulled out a gun that was in his jacket, cocked it, and pointed it straight at Bruce. "Any last words?"_

"_Should have brought a bigger gun." Bruce shot to his feet flipping his cap towards Dominic. The gun went off with a blast that echoed throughout the building then landed on the floor. It skittered away and under a pile of crates where Dominic wouldn't be able to reach it. _

_Dominic dropped the briefcase and charged at Bruce making them land on the cement with a sickening crunch. Back and forth they gained the upper hand and then lost it. There were punches thrown and heads being smashed till Bruce landed a final head butt on the guy's nose knocking him out. Dominic's body landed on the ground, Bruce falling right behind him. He was tired. _

_Bruce lay sprawled on the floor listening to his breathing settle back to normal. It had been a hard fight. He had to give the guy credit for sticking in so long. Most guys he took down were a simple stick it out till he tires mission. Not the man beside him. He had almost wondered if Dominic was going to be the victor._

_Finding some rope Bruce tied Dominic up and decided to head out. The cops would find the guy eventually and he didn't want to be away from Rachel for too long. Even though each step hurt he made it to his car falling in the seat heavily. An alarm went off telling Bruce that Alfred had left him a message. He pressed the button to bring up his mail listening to his friend's voice fill the car._

"_Master Wayne you need to get to the hospital as soon as possible. I found Mrs. Wayne passed out in your bathroom. She was bleeding."_

_Bruce felt his heart stop._

* * *

><p>Savannah sat alone trying her hardest not to feel sorry for herself. It was kind of hard when Drew and Maggie were hanging all over each other just a few feet away. The bowling alley she was at was loud with all the voices raised and balls hitting the floor. It was cyber-bowling Friday and all the black lights were turned on making everything glow.<p>

She had shown up with a big group of friends including Drew and Maggie who she was glad she didn't end up on a lane with. Instead Jake had stuck close to her filling the lane with Chloe and some of his friends. They had been there an hour when she excused herself to go get something to eat. The truth was she needed a few minutes alone.

It didn't make sense to her how Drew could claim to love her yet start dating someone right after they broke up. From where Savannah was sitting he seemed pretty comfortable with the tight-skirted man stealer. His arms were holding her close to his body while everything he said to her seemed to make her laugh with her over-the-top chuckle. Maggie truly was annoying.

"Don't let him get to you," Jake said sliding onto the barstool beside hers. He glanced over at the couple before shaking his head and turning back to her. "He's looking for a response."

Savannah slid off her stool," Then I will give him one."

Before she had made it three steps though Jake grabbed her arm and pulled her between his legs. When his lips came down on hers it caught her by surprise. His lips were gentle coaxing a response from her until her eyes slid closed and her arms wrapped around his neck. She wasn't sure if they were kissing in response to Drew but she didn't care. It felt right to be in Jake's arms. It felt different, but right.

Jake pulled back first keeping a firm hand on her arms to make sure that she had a steady footing. It was good that he did since Savannah felt anything but steady. Behind Jake she could see Drew staring at them but as their eyes met he turned away.

"I guess he caught all that," Jake asked a slight frown playing on his face. The easy-going guy she had spent the evening with disappeared right before her eyes.

"Yeah. Now maybe you could explain it to me. I seemed to be missing something."

"Just forget it," he murmured trying to walk away. This time it was Savannah who reached out to stop him.

"What is going on," Savannah demanded. She had had enough with boys controlling her life. For once she wanted answers and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. She had been pushed around too many times.

"Come with me," Jake took her hand practically dragging her towards the back area where they could be alone. It was also the only area in the bowling alley that wasn't blaring music. There were a few people huddled around but mostly the back room was empty. The walls were covered in pictures of bowling teams and trophies won at competitions. He dropped her hand as soon as he closed the door behind them and took to pacing right in front of her. He ran his hands through his hair before interlocking his fingers and resting them on the top of his head. "This has gotten out of hand. When I asked you to go with me to Desiree's party I did it to be a good friend. My intentions have always been to be a good friend. Not only to you but also to Drew. But I can't do this anymore."

Savannah was taken aback by his comment. Was he saying that he didn't want to hang out with her anymore? Maybe she had been annoying him. "I never asked you to step in and hold my hand. I'm a big girl and have been through worse than this. Drew breaking up with me is yesterdays news."

"No, you're not understanding me. When you kissed me a minute ago it was because you wanted to get back at him. I kissed you...because I want you."

Savannah let out a small gasp.

"Because every time I see you, you make me smile," he went on drawing closer to her and sliding his palm along her cheek. "Because I have been a good friend to Drew for the last three years hiding my feelings away so he could be happy. Because you are the cutest thing I have ever seen. Because you have the quirkiest sense of humor."

"Jake, I…," she started but was stopped by his finger over her lips.

"Wait. Let me finish. When I said that I couldn't do this anymore I meant hiding my feelings. I think we should give us a shot."

His eyes silently pleaded with hers waiting for an answer she wasn't sure she could give. In her heart she knew she wasn't over Drew. Would it be fair to Jake to give them a shot when she couldn't give him her full heart?

"I don't think that would be fair to you," she said simply. "It's obvious I'm not over him."

"I'm not asking for promises. I'm asking for a chance. Listen, Savannah, you're beautiful and if Drew thought for one moment you were going to be alone for long he was mistaken."

Savannah smiled," Well, you are a good kisser."

Jake laughed before guiding her lips to his. This time his kiss was possessive and hard.

**Hey Readers**

**What do you think? Drew or Jake? Would love to hear your opinion!**


	12. Chapter 12

Savannah felt the excitement throughout the whole stadium as she watched her boyfriend, Jake lead his hockey team to victory. Along the end wall the game clock was displaying in bright red letters that there was only a minute till the end of the game. The Gotham Knights were currently beating the Fairfield Dukes by two goals but the game had been hard fought. In the second period Jake had been checked against the glass so hard that he had gone down and taken a while to get up. Savannah had been nervous watching the whole thing from her seat in the bleachers.

As the time wore down the crowd got louder chanting for the Knights who would officially be in the playoffs. She had never really been into hockey but all the excitement was pulling her in. It was a fast paced game that kept her on the edge of her seat. She had never had a reason before to come watch Jake play but now that she had seen him in action she wished she had. He was a good hockey player and already had a few colleges scouting him.

When the buzzer went off signaling the end of the game a thunderous roar went up all around the stadium. It was the first year that Gotham Academy would be in the playoffs and her boyfriend was the one who led them there. She was proud of him.

The crowd flowed out of the stadium in waves after the crowd salute but Savannah stayed where she was. From her seat she could see Jake, who was all smiles, joking with his buddies still on the ice. Sweat had made his hair all wet and his face was flushed but to her he was still handsome. As she sat there staring at him, wondering how she had become besotted with him so quickly, he gazed up in the stands seeming to seek her out. His grin amplified as they stood there gazing at each other. The moment felt quite intimate despite the fact that there were people all around.

Savannah made her way down the bleachers and around the rink until she reached the door that opened onto the ice. As soon as she reached it Jake took her in his arms. "It means so much to me that you are here."

"You were amazing. I don't know how you do it," she beamed up at him.

"Hey Palmer," one of his teammates, Kevin who was a sophomore, called out to Jake. He was in the same black and purple uniform that Jake was except Jake's had a capital "C" on it. "You going to go celebrate with us?"

"Nah man. I'm going to take my girl here out to dinner," Jake called back tucking Savannah under his arm. His body was radiating heat through his clothes. It was obvious that he was going to need a long shower.

"You don't have to do that," she said gazing up at him. He was normally tall but with his skates on he stood almost a foot and a half taller. "You just won a big game you should celebrate."

"That's okay. I hang out with these numbskulls all the time and I have been dreaming about being alone with you all day."

Savannah blushed," I'm flattered."

Jake brushed a quick kiss across her mouth but the effect was still the same. He made her weak in the knees. He was one gorgeous male and she was going to enjoy learning more about him.

"Suit yourself," Kevin spoke up. "It's going to be one good party."

Savannah watched him skate off the ice noticing that Jake and her were the last ones left. Unlike before, the arena was unnaturally quiet. All that broke the silence was the hum of the air conditioner.

"You're amazing. You know that," she asked tugging on his hand; which had somehow intertwined with hers. "I don't know how you do it. That was a pretty rough game."

"Yeah. That guy hit me pretty good on that last hit. I'm sure I'm going to feel it tomorrow."

"Poor baby," she soothed standing up on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. He had to bend down so that she could reach.

"I'm going to go take a shower. I'll pick you up at your dad's in an hour."

"Okay. I'll see you then," she smiled turning to walk away. "Congrats Jake."

"Thanks babe," he called out to her before skating off to the locker room.

* * *

><p><em>Eighteen Years Ago…<em>

_ Bruce held his face in his hands sitting beside Rachel in the quiet hospital room. The heart monitor was beating in a rhythm that he had fallen asleep to many nights. He tried his hardest to keep them in but silent tears fell down his cheeks leaving salty streaks in its wake. He couldn't get over the fact that he had let her down. How could he have let his work as Batman keep him from protecting her? The harsh truth that he had let her down weighed heavily on his shoulders._

_ Through the window on the other side of the room he saw the normal three flashes in the sky telling him that Sgt. Gordon needed him. Bruce felt an inner tug knowing that he needed to be in both places. But since he didn't have a clone he belonged with Rachel. _

_ On the bed she rested peacefully as if they hadn't almost lost their child hours before. According to Alfred he had been heading to bed when he heard a thump from the floor above him. When Rachel hadn't answered his call he had went in the room and found her passed out on the floor. Thankfully it hadn't taken the ambulance long to get to Wayne Manor but each minute had felt like an eternity to the older man. Bruce could empathize with him since ever minute it had taken to get changed out of his Batman suit and to the hospital had felt like a lifetime. _

_ Bruce reached out for Rachel's hand warming it up between his. It was silky smooth and smelled of lime and coconut; which was her favorite hand lotion. She had first tried that scent on their honeymoon in Tahiti and every time he smelled it he thought of the little hut that sat over the water. They had taken a full month to themselves enjoying their new status as husband and wife. During the day they would sleep in before exploring the island in a rented kayak. At night he would make love to her till they were both sated and falling asleep to the first rays of sunlight. It had been the best month of Bruce's life. _

_ Sitting in the hospital room made him feel utterly alone. There wasn't anyone he could call and talk through his feelings. His parents were both long gone and the few people who knew about his work as Batman were his employees. How much he wanted someone just to feel with him. He could use someone who could tell him that everything was going to be all right. _

_ Bruce took his only empty hand and rubbed it soothingly on Rachel's swollen stomach. He could still feel his child moving within giving a slight relief to his battered heart. They never should have tried for a baby in the first place. Rachel knew it was going to be difficult for her to carry. She had gotten a full physical before they tried and the doctor had diagnosed her with two diseases that would make carrying a baby to full term dangerous to her and the child. He had tried to talk her out of trying but she had been adamant about having his child. _

_ There was a knock on the door before the doctor walked in. "Mr. Wayne. I'm Dr. Patel." The woman was in her late forties to Bruce's knowledge. Rachel had gone to a few obstetricians before choosing Dr. Patel who she believed was the best choice for her. She was a tall woman who wore Crocs on her feet and every time he had seen her she wore a bright pink set of scrubs. _

_ "I remember," Bruce murmured shaking her outstretched hand. "How is she doing?"_

_ "We got the bleeding under control. She had a placental abruption; which happens in about one percent of pregnancies. The placenta partially broke off from the wall of her uterus. Normally we would have to do an emergency c-section but we were able to go in surgically and plug it. I don't believe it's going to hold for long but if we can get her through a few more weeks it will be better for the baby." _

_ "So everything is going to be okay?"_

_ "She is still not in the clear," the doctor said shifting the folder she had tucked in her arm placing it on the table where they would put food trays. "I'm going to let her go home for a while but she needs to be on strict bed rest. In about three weeks, if she is still carrying, we will need her to come back and be under surveillance. We want to make sure that she is here when it breaks again."_

_ Bruce took a fortifying breath and nodded wishing that her pregnancy were all over. Having her go through one hemorrhage was bad enough but to know that another one was coming would be hard on both of them. "I understand. How do we set up when she needs to come in?"_

_ "Nurse Laura will help you with any questions you have. She will be at the nurses' desk till five. I gave her all the information and you can get it set up when you are ready. For now I think you should just stay with your wife till she wakes up."_

_ "Thank you," Bruce said watching her walk out of the room. Then he was alone again. The only thing to give him company was a wall mounted TV that sat lifeless in the corner. At four in the morning he was sure that nothing but infomercials would be on. People would be trying to sell miracle weight loss products and hair growing supplies but nothing that interested him. He was completely alone with his thoughts. _

_ The thought that nagged him the most was that he was never where he needed to be. When he was home he needed to be out protecting the streets of Gotham and when he was out on the streets he needed to be home with Rachel. He could never win. In all aspects of his life he was a failure. If he had already taken care of the mob he would have been home with Rachel when the hemorrhage started. _

_ "Bruce," a strained voice called for him. _

_ Bruce flew into the seat he had vacated taking Rachel's hand in his. Her eyes were blinking rapidly as she lowered her hand to her stomach. "She's fine," he soothed. "Everything is fine."_

_ "What happened," she asked turning on to her side. Her blue eyes were hazy but dawned with recognition. _

_ "You had another hemorrhage. This one was pretty bad."_

_ "But the baby is okay?"_

_ Bruce placed his hand over Rachel's; which was splayed on her stomach. "Yeah. The doctor said to keep you on strict bed rest for a few weeks. I think you are just trying to get out of going to the Wayne Foundation Gala."_

_ Rachel let out a breathy chuckle that turned into a cough. "I'm as big as a house. You don't want to parade me around."_

_ Bruce rubbed her hair in gentle stokes staring down at the woman he loved. "You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Nothing will ever change that." He watched her laying on the bed each breath making her chest rise and fall and after a few minutes she was back to sleep. "You can do this Rachel," he whispered in her ear. "Just a few more weeks and you're done…we'll both be done."_

_ Rachel had made it very clear that she wanted a house full of children but Bruce wasn't going to go through another pregnancy. Having her life in danger once was enough. He resigned himself to the fact that their family wasn't going to be as big as they planned. As soon as she delivered he would make an appointment with his doctor. _

**Sorry this took so long! Please review…**


	13. Chapter 13

Bruce surveyed the scene in front of him slightly bemused by the fact that his daughter hadn't made a peep since dinner began. Since he needed to spend more nights out as Batman he had picked up a new "cover" in the form of Ms. October who was sitting to his right. Melina, who was an up-and-coming fashion model, had more going for her on the outside than she did on the inside. She had spent the whole evening regaling Savannah and him about the hard work it took to become a real model. He had expected a big blow up from his daughter but she had sat quietly on his left chopping down on the chicken marsala the cook had prepared.

It was the second Friday in a row that he had seen Savannah and the fact that she was there brought an unsuspected smile to his face. The goofy grin had made her sneer at him earlier in the evening before his date had arrived. Rachel had dropped her off only staying in his condo for a minute but she too had been taken aback by his odd behavior. While things may still have been tense with Equilibrium still on the loose he felt more at ease knowing his daughter was safe and sound.

While Melina droned on Bruce took a moment to analyze his daughter. The scar on her head was healing nicely leaving only a tiny mark that was pink and yellow. If he didn't know any better it would appear that the Easter bunny had knocked her upside the head. The thought made Bruce cringe. The actual experience had been quite different. As she ate he noticed her hands and how elegant they had become. What once had trouble curling around his small finger could now cup a man's cheek. That man being either Drew or her new man Jake. Rachel had filled him in on all the boy drama his daughter was going through. Her fingers were long and tapered and she had only one ring adorning them in the shape of a heart that Drew had bought her two years back. Taking a closer look at her face he realized that she no longer had the chubbiness of youth but her whole body was becoming elongated and willowy.

"You know you should look into modeling," Melina broke him from his musings so that he noticed her trying to get Savannah's attention. "You have great cheekbones."

Savannah, who wasn't used to being talked to by his dates, seemed startled by Melina's good natured compliment. She blinked a few times as if making sure that Melina wasn't talking to someone who had materialized beside her. Recovering quickly she asked, "You think so?"

Bruce couldn't help but be proud of her. It was one thing to be pretty, which she was, but to not know it showed a true inner beauty. Savannah had never looked at the outside but had given each person she met a chance to show her who they really were. That alone told him what kind of guys Drew and Jake were. Savannah would never have allowed herself to hang out with people who weren't genuine or didn't truly care for her.

"Yeah, you're beautiful," Melina answered back showing off her one hundred watt smile. In the spirit of giving people a real chance Bruce took his first real look at Melina. The first thing he noticed was her thick brown hair and deep blue eyes that reminded him of another woman. It seemed most women he brought home reminded him somewhat of Rachel. Some of them would have the same crooked smile or they would tilt their head the same when questioning him. One of them had looked so similar to Savannah's mother that Alfred had stepped in and told him to see a therapist. He had finally broken down and decided that Alfred was right. He needed someone who would just listen.

"She takes after her mother," Bruce piped up noticing the small patch of red appearing on his daughter's cheeks.

"Dad," she warned in a way only a teenager could. It was a mix of I-can't-believe-you-said-that with a hint of could-you-be-more-embarrassing. Coupled that with the death stare she was sending his way and he could see that Rachel had taught her the fine art of manipulation. Bruce almost felt sorry for her future spouse. He was going to have his hands full. "Could I be excused?"

Although he wanted a buffer between Melina and himself he figured his daughter had been tortured enough for one evening. Besides he didn't want to think that he had become a chicken in his later years. When he was younger it didn't faze him one bit to be alone with a beautiful woman. Lately though he had been concerned about giving any of the women he brought home false hope. It was one thing to have a nice dinner and talk but another to make them think he wanted anything more.

"That's fine. Why don't you take a piece of that blueberry pie with you," he added patting her hand. For once Savannah didn't pull away from him when he tried to encourage physical contact. Instead she gave him a brief smile before picking up the plate and strolling out of the dining room. Strolling didn't even seem like the right word. She had practically been floating. He would have to ask her what was going on later.

"She's wonderful Bruce."

"Thanks. But I have to admit this isn't like her. I'm starting to wonder if she is plotting my demise," he laughed grateful that Melina laughed with him. Some of the women he had dated didn't have a sense of humor. He was glad to see she wasn't one of them.

"I wouldn't worry about it. She's come down with a case of puppy love," Melina pulled back a stray piece of hair and tucked it behind her ear. He noticed the dark cheery red nail polish immediately. It was a sign of seduction, one he had seen many times throughout the years.

"You think so," he asked pulling his eyes back to his half eaten plate of food. The whole thing had been portioned and prepared to keep him in peak physical condition. He had so many carbs and just the right amount of protein. It seemed everything in his life revolved around his work as Batman.

"Oh yeah. I had that look a lot growing up. Flushed cheeks and sparkle in my eye. Really takes me back. It drove my dad crazy. He wasn't sure what to do with me during those years." Melina placed her fork directly in the center of her plate before doing the same thing with her knife making sure that they were both perfectly straight.

"Well I'm not sure what to do with her either but at least I don't have to sleep with one eye open."

Melina chuckled covering it up with her blue napkin that clashed horribly with her orange dress. "You're funny."

"Nah, that's just the wine talking," he indicated towards the bottle of white wine chilling beside them.

"I only had one glass," she crossed her arms and slouched down in the high backed chair.

"I can fix that." After pouring her a liberal amount they both got to their feet and headed out to the back deck. The sky was painted in pinks and purples showing off the last moments before the night took over. There were lights decorating the landscaping twinkling like early arriving stars. Overall it was an impressive display that created the right mood of romance and peace.

The night air was crisp and filled with the chirps of crickets. But the rest of the world was still. It had been the second weekend he had decided to take Savannah out of the city and settle into Wayne Manor. For most of the week it just made sense to stay in his apartment. The office was there and he didn't have to travel the extra half hour.

"It's so peaceful out here," his date commented placing her wine flute on the railing and gazing out on the sprawling lawn. Normally he would use this opportunity to cuddle up to his date but with Melina it just didn't feel right. She hadn't been like his other dates. She had been real with him and even engaged his daughter in conversation.

"Yeah, next time I will take you down to the lake so you can see a real show. I have never seen stars shine as bright as they do down there."

He saw an array of emotions cross her face before she took another sip of her wine and shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "There's not going to be a next time, is there Bruce?"

Bruce was taken aback by her straight talk wondering if he had really become that transparent. He even glanced down to make sure that his body was still wholly visible. For someone who was quite a few years younger than him she seemed to have his number. "Why would you say that," he asked lamely.

"You seemed pretty distracted at dinner. Not to mention the fact that you haven't made one move to kiss me. I've been around the block and rich guys don't usually move slowly. If they see something they want, they get it."

Bruce rubbed his hand across his neck taking a moment to get his bearings. It wasn't everyday that someone took him completely by surprise. Spending time as Batman had made him good at anticipating people's next move but he had underestimated Melina. She came across as this ditzy model but there was so much more to her than met the eye. If nothing else he could use someone like that for a friend. So in response he leant forward and placed his lips on hers. The kiss was brief but got his point across. He wasn't ready to give her a part of his heart and he wasn't asking for a part of hers. It was gentle.

"You'll find out quickly Melina that there is more to me than my money."

After Bruce had seen Melina out later that night, he decided to pay his daughter a visit before heading to the Bat Cave or what he liked to think of as his second office. It was nearing midnight and the house was dark except for the light shining under her doorway. He wasn't surprised that she was up. As far as he could tell she never went to bed before one in the morning. A part of him was envious of her youthful exuberance. What took her little effort would take him three cups of coffee and getting up around noon the next day.

Bruce knocked on her door three times before slipping in. Savannah was curled up on the bed sporting a pair of blue and white pajamas cradling a phone by her ear. "I got to go Jake. My dad just walked in. I'll see you Monday."

"How are you doing kiddo," he asked leaning back against the doorframe.

"Fine," Savannah shrugged already bored with him. He could tell that she was more interested in what Jake had been saying than anything he had to say. It made him wonder if that was because she was a teenager or because he had pushed her away for most of her life. "Did Melina leave?"

"Yeah. I said goodnight to her a few minutes ago." The goodbye had been short and sweet with him promising to call her and for once he looked forward to it.

"I liked her," Savannah offered. "She's not like most of the girls you bring home."

"Well, I'm glad I got your approval," he smirked pushing against the wall stepping closer to the bed. He reached into his back pocked feeling the stiff envelope he had been waiting to give her at the right moment. "By the way, your mother dropped this by the office this afternoon. She thought you might not want to wait till you got home to open it."

Bruce tossed the fancy envelope on the bed. In gold lettering read Rachel's alma mater, which he knew was the college Savannah was dying to go to. His daughter had wanted a degree in writing since she was old enough to write her name. Every weekend she would come home from school with a new story she had written. Rachel had gushed over each one exclaiming how amazing they were while he had to be dismissive. It cut his heart every time he had to do it. He could see her broken heart reflected in her slumped shoulders and her beautiful eyes welling up with tears.

"Oh, my gosh," she squeaked putting her hand over her mouth. "I can't open it. What if I didn't get in?"

"What are you talking about," he asked. "You have to open this."

He watched her internally wrestle with whether she was going to open it. She had her bottom lip stuck between her teeth and a questioning glint to her eyes. He had seen the look many times before but on a woman that he would take into his arms and kiss the concern away. With extreme care she finally reached toward the envelope and opened it. Her eyes scanned back and forth giving nothing away to the outcome.

"I'm in," she breathed out. After pausing for a moment she let out a loud squeal and jumped off the bed and into his arms. "Dad, I did it!"

Bruce couldn't find the words to speak past the lump in his throat. It had been many years since she had let him hold her. She was no longer the small skin and bones replica of her mother but she was becoming her own woman. "Dad, huh?"

She pulled back slightly noticing her slip up. In all her joy over the letter she had forgot to call him Mr. Wayne.

**Hey Readers!**

**Hope you like this chapter as much as I do! Please leave a review if you have a moment. They keep me inspired and give me a reason to keep going. Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 14

_**So, I'm sort of back. I have been trying since the last update to get my creative juices flowing but nothing has been working. I hope there are still a few readers interested in this story. I won't lie and say my writer's block is gone but at least I'm not leaving you hanging forever. I can't stand it when someone starts a story and doesn't finish. To say that this story has been nagging at me everyday is an understatement. So, here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave me a review!**_

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><p>Savannah stood outside Drew's house with her arm poised to knock but she couldn't seem to pull the trigger. To say that things were going badly between them was truly the understatement of the year. With her dating Jake and him hanging all over Maggie, they had been less than friendly. As much as she didn't want to admit it his relationship with Maggie cut her deep down leaving her feeling raw and bruised. Jake was trying his best to get her out her funk but some wounds never healed.<p>

The only consolation had been how slow Jake was willing to take their relationship. He wasn't pushy or asking from her anything she couldn't give. The night before he had taken her out to dinner and when he found out that the restaurant he picked had been Drew and her spot he had rolled with the punches and picked out another place. There hadn't been a long discussion about how she should get "back up on the horse" or any other garbage. It was nice not to be pushed.

Despite it all she knew she had to be there. The only other person who would understand the gravity of getting into the college of her choice was Drew. He had cheered her on and kept her on track when things had been rough. Drew was and would always be her biggest supporter.

Taking one last breath, Savannah knocked on the door. She glanced up and down the empty hallway while listening to the creak of the floorboards on the other side. Unlike herself, Drew's parents were not well off and lived in an apartment building that had seen better days. The wallpaper was cracking and big chunks had been pulled off. It seemed like every third light fixture was out leaving the hall in semi darkness.

The door opened under protest and Drew stood on the other side with nothing but a pair of jeans on. Savannah's breath caught in her throat. He was perfect. His tanned body was lean and long and dared her to run her hands up and down his chest.

"Savannah," he questioned. "Are you okay?"

Savannah caught herself, snapping her mouth closed. She had been staring at him with reckless abandon not even caring that he was off limits. "Uh…yeah. I just…" She faltered not sure about what she was going to say.

"Do you want to come in? My parents are out and my brother is at work." He stepped aside not waiting for an answer.

Savannah entered the all too familiar apartment taking in the normal sights. There was the usual brown sofa and love seat scattered with schoolbooks she assumed were his. The kitchen table sat just behind it piled to the max with rolls of construction plans his dad used for his plumbing company. The only mark his mother left on the place was the window treatments and stylish lamps. Other than those two things it really felt like a bachelor pad. One time his mother had even joked with her that there was too much testosterone in the place.

"Can I get you a drink or something," he asked grabbing a shirt from under his pile of books and flinging it over his head. Savannah was almost sad to see him so nervous around her. The last time she had been there he had greeted her at the door with a kiss before grabbing her around the waist and guiding her towards his bedroom. The room was just down the hall and to the left. Each wall was adorned with his drawings and various pictures they had taken together.

"No thanks. I almost feel silly being here. This went a lot different in my head," she emphasized with her hands making her feel crazier for the situation she was in.

"How is that?"

"Well, I tell you that I got the acceptance letter from the college of my choice and you go crazy telling me how proud of me you are." Before she could finish her statement he was around the couch that was separating them and had her enveloped in his arms.

"That's great Sav. I'm so proud of you," he spoke into her hair while rocking her back and forth. She smiled into his shoulder enjoying the moment. She missed him. It wasn't easy being away from the best friend she had ever had or the man who could make her weak in the knees. Was that love? Were the words so hard to say to him that she had pushed him away and moved on to a relationship that is doomed to fail? She wasn't sure. On the other hand Jake made her feel things that couldn't be explained away as pure lust. "I knew you could do it," he finished before dropping a quick kiss on the top of her head.

Immediately the air electrified sending pleasure waves down her back. He seemed to feel it too as he slowly pulled back and lowered his lips to hers. The first touch was tentative as if he was asking permission but as soon as she kissed him back he became possessive. His hands dove into her hair massaging the back of her scalp while his mouth danced against hers. She wasn't sure which one of them had done it but a groan vibrated through her body.

The taste of his lips drove her crazy and pushed all thoughts of Jake out of her head. Somewhere inside she knew what she was doing was wrong but she couldn't seem to stop. Drew was her Achilles heel.

"I love you," he got out between kisses. "Come back to me Sav. You belong to me."

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

Savannah woke from her stimulating dream with a start. Her breath was coming out in uneven puffs and sweat poured down her face. She gazed around the room at all her possessions trying to get her bearings. Everything seemed to be in its spot except the ring that Drew had given her had been knocked off the dresser. It lay on the floor among one of her old pillow pets. Savannah crawled out of bed and reached for the ring placing it back on her finger.

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><p><em>Bruce stretched his arms over his head and felt his back pop in three places. It was amazing how differently his body acted after spending time as Batman. No one went easy on him and his body was starting to show the wear and tear from the beatings. Rachel had commented a few times on how many bruises she would find on him. Each one was a quiet badge of pride for him. He was no longer sitting by and letting life happen but had jumped into the fray headfirst. <em>

_He lazily gazed up at the ceiling letting a smile overtake his face. He had been able to bring Rachel home that day and she was safely tucked away in their bed. She had protested the doctor's orders for bed rest but as soon as he had laid her down she had been out. Now they would just have to wait the few weeks till she was due back at the hospital. _

"_Mr. Wayne." Bruce turned to see Alfred walking towards him. He had a black envelope in his hands embossed with gold lettering. "I thought I would remind you that the gala is tonight. I'd be careful sir to make sure you are seen. It seems that your little slip up with Dominic has some cops sniffing around that you are this masked crusader."_

"_We wouldn't want that now would we," Bruce asked tongue in cheek. He wasn't concerned with the police. One thing they were good at was taking bribes from wealthy gentlemen. He could easily slip a few hundreds in their pockets and tell them to look the other way. The problem was he would be confirming their suspicions. _

"_I'm glad you find this funny sir. I'm not sure Ms. Wayne would feel the same way."_

_Suddenly the issue didn't seem so funny. The last thing Rachel needed was more stress and finding out he is Batman would surely send her into early labor. Rachel operated in the lines of legality whereas he liked to color outside the lines. No to mention the fear she would have for his life when he was out at night. It was a headache he didn't need. _

"_No, I guess not. I'll make sure that I am the bell of the ball then."_

"_Very good. In case that doesn't work though I have been putting together an alibi. It seems that you were out of the country that week."_

"_I think it's time to try out the decoy," Bruce suggested dropping his arms to his side and proceeding to roll his shoulders. They creaked like an unused set of stairs. "It's time for Superman to be seen with Clark Kent."_

_Alfred bowed his head in acknowledgement and left the room. _

_Sitting down at his desk, Bruce opened his screen till Rachel's smiling face was staring back at him. He had left their wedding photo as his screensaver since they had been married. He had never seen her so happy, at least till that point. Her white wedding dress had fit her like a glove and sent Bruce's heart beating out of control. He had never seen anything so beautiful. _

_It had been a quiet affair unlike most occasions put on by his hyped up version of himself. There had only been three witnesses and had happened in the backyard. He had the trees decorated in white lights and a gazebo carved just for her. It was simple and perfect just like his wife. _

_Clicking on his personal files he opened the one for the specs on his new suit. It seemed as if Lucius was adding new gadgets to it everyday. Each night he went out was like another trial run for all the new updates. _

"_Bruce," he heard the angelic voice say from the door._

_Bruce closed the program and looked up to see his wife standing at the door. Her eyes were half closed but she had a lazy smile on her face. There was a deep blue shawl wrapped around her shoulders and hung towards the floor. _

"_What are you doing out of bed," he asked crossing the distance between them and sweeping her up into his arms. "Doctor said strict bed rest."_

"_I was getting lonely," she pouted. He noticed a quiver to her bottom lip. "I was up there all alone."_

_Bruce smirked and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "That's not going to work on me. You can put that lip away."_

"_Fine but only if you promise to come spend some time with me. I know you're not going to be here tonight. You have that gala to go to."_

_Immediately Bruce felt like a heel. It was going to be another night where he wasn't where he was supposed to be. If it weren't for the cops wondering if he were the night watchman he would just skip the whole thing but for the decoy to work he would have to show up. "I'm sorry, my love. I haven't been able to work since you went in the hospital. I just wanted to catch up. How about I go pick out a movie and we can watch it cuddled up in bed?"_

"_MMmm. Sounds wonderful," she said snuggling into his arms. _

_Walking her back to the bedroom he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by how trusting she was of him and how untrustworthy he really was. It wasn't fair to her how many times he had lied to her _


	15. Chapter 15

Savannah walked the halls of her high school barely registering where she was going or anything going on around her. The face in the mirror, that had greeted her that morning, had dark stains under her eyes. The pale complexion would be hard to hide from he friends and she knew she was going to field questions about it. Her mom had been inquisitive enough but had let her out of the house with promises that they would talk later.

The dream kept replaying in her head. It had felt so real being held by Drew. She could feel his hands burning into her skin and the tingle of his lips possessing her. The whole experience left her feeling jumpy like she needed to crawl out of her own skin. The only thought that had kept her sane was knowing that she wouldn't have to be near Drew all day. Since the break up he had kept his distance from her.

Savannah felt her eyelids droop and yawned into her hand. Only seven more hours, she thought to herself. Then she could fall into bed and forget that the dream had ever happened. Without thought, she started twirling Drew's ring on her finger.

"Savannah."

"Oh," she screeched flinching as Drew touched her arm.

"Whoa, Sav, calm down," he soothed gathering her into his arms. "Are you okay?" He scrutinized her for a moment obviously noticing her odd demeanor. His eyes narrowed showing his concern. "You look terrible."

Finally noticing the awkward position they were in, with his arms firmly around her molding her body to his, she stepped back quickly leaving her off balance. She knocked into the nearest locker bumping her elbow in the process. A sharp pain made her wince before her arm went numb. Her books unfortunately ended up in a jumbled mess on the floor.

"What is up with you today," he asked before bending down to start collecting her books. While his attention was elsewhere she took a steadying breath to calm her nerves. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour, nearly out of her chest. Of all the days for him to decide to talk to her, today wasn't the best day. All she wanted to do was forget the awful dream and focus on making it through the day. She hadn't been able to get back to sleep the night before, after her alarm clock had gone off. The problem was she had set it for the wrong time.

Drew finished collecting her books and stood up to his full height towering over her. She had loved that about him. He was tall and gorgeous. Everything she had ever wanted. "I'm sorry about that. I've just had a pretty rough morning."

"I can see that. Are you feeling okay," he asked stepping up to her again and laying his hand on her forehead. She tried not to flinch but he must have noticed her move since he gave her a questioning stare, his beautiful green eyes silently asking what was going on.

"You don't seem to have a fever. Do you want me to take you home?"

"No," she snapped noticing that it came out harsher than she would have liked. "I mean, no thank you. My mom would have a cow if I went home. You know the rules. No staying home from school unless you have a fever. I'm all right." She said all this while slowly backing away from him. She wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.

"Sav, wait. I wanted to talk to you."

Savannah stopped even though everything in her was telling her to turn and run as fast and as far away as possible. Standing in the hallway with Drew would leave others the opportunity to go to Jake and tell her that she was hanging out with her ex. Her heart rate spiked at the thought. She reached up to cover her heart with her hand.

At once Drew's eyes focused on her hand making her realize that his ring was still on her finger. "You're wearing my ring," he commented.

There wasn't much she could say to him and she wasn't about to tell him about the dream she had. It was hard enough thinking about what she was going to tell Jake when she saw him. Of course she wasn't going to say something about the dream but she had been wondering if she was being fair to him. That dream had only confirmed one thing in her mind and that was the fact that she wasn't anywhere near being over Drew. He had been her whole world for the past three years. Then overnight he had left a gaping hole where her heart used to be.

She glanced at the ring Drew had given her on their first anniversary. It was white gold with two intertwined hearts and a bright red gem in the center. She had loved it from the minute he had put it on her finger and hadn't bothered to take it off once until the night he broke up with her.

"I must had put it on by habit this morning. I can give it back to you if you want."

Drew closed his eyes and gulped as if he was trying to swallow the pain. "The fact that you can even ask me that hurts." He opened his eyes and locked gazes with her. "I can't get over you Savannah. I have tried. Gosh, how I've tried."

Savannah let out the breath she hadn't noticed she had been holding and turned away. "Yeah, I can see how broken up you've been. Tell me, how is Maggie," she called over her shoulder.

She had almost thought that she had gotten him to back off when he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards an empty alcove. "You can be so blind sometimes Savannah. You think you are the only one who has had it hard since we broke up? We have had the same friends since we have been in kindergarten and one thing you can count on with them is that if there is an argument between two of them, people are going to pick sides. Well, they did and it was you. All the girls won't talk to me and they have been telling my guy friends to ignore me too. Maggie is the only one who has been talking to me. And I'm okay with that. I knew you would need your friends so I'm okay with being the bad guy." He took a second bowing his head and she almost wished he never raised it again because when he did she could see all the pain she had caused. His eyes were glassy from tears that he hadn't shed. "But I'm not okay with you moving on."

"Don't say it," she interrupted knowing what he was going to say next. In her vulnerable state she wasn't sure she could take it. In her mind he had always been the bad guy but now she was rethinking it. It was obvious to her now that he had been protecting her all along. If she thought back she would be aware that while he had been spending a lot of time with Maggie he had never crossed the line with her while she had openly kissed Jake in front of him.

Savannah felt the first sob escape her body and let the books she was holding drop to the floor. They landed loudly at her feet echoing off the walls around them. Drew, not thinking of his own pain, pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back and let her cry on his shoulder. He whispered words of apology into her ear making her cry even harder. The sobs wracked her body leaving her feeling weak and spent. Drew just continued to support her while keeping her on her feet.

"We're a mess," she commented after she had cried herself out. She stepped back from him noticing the wet stain she had left on his shirt.

He just smiled reaching out his hands to wipe off the last of the tears on her face. The feel of his fingers sent tingles down her spine. Dream Drew had been hard enough to resist, the real Drew was potent. If she didn't get away from him soon she was going to do something she wasn't going to be proud of.

"I don't know where we go from here," she commented honestly. Jake was a new parameter to their relationship and even if he wasn't in the way the fact was that she still didn't trust relationships in general. Her father and mother hadn't made it work. Harvey and her mother seemed happy but every now and then there seemed to be something missing from their relationship. Overall, nothing seemed to last around her.

"I don't have any answers either. I keep thinking that I made a huge mistake when I broke up with you. I did it to give you space Savannah. I was hoping that it would give you time to figure out how you feel about me."

"I've never been confused about how I feel about you," she argued.

"It felt like it. I tell you I love you and then I don't talk to you for two days."

Savannah reached down this time to pick up her own books. Her algebra book had landed awkwardly bending most of the pages in an odd angle. "I disappeared because I felt pressure to say it back."

"I never wanted you to feel pressured," he sighed. "I just wanted some sort of promise that you weren't going to leave me at a drop of a hat."

"I guess being together for three years didn't promise that?" With books firmly back in her arms, she stood up. The fact that he could think she could leave him after that long was unbelievable.

"We have friends that have been dating two weeks and they are already saying they love each other. What am I supposed to think?" Drew ran his hand through his hair in exasperation.

"We're not them. I'm not them. Couldn't you just have a little faith in me?"

Before he could answer Jake popped around the corner and caught sight of them. His happy demeanor quickly shifted to disapproval. His lips pursed and a muscle ticked in his jaw. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Drew scowled right back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, you're definitely interrupting. But at this point I expect that from you. Sav, we'll talk later." With nothing left to say he turned and walked away.

"Anything you have to say to her you can say in front of me. Or at least out in the open," he yelled to Drew's retreating back. When he turned to her she could feel anger coming off him in palpable waves. "I don't want you alone with him. I don't trust him."

Savannah rolled her eyes at him. "Out of the three of us I would say he is the most trustworthy. You went after his girlfriend the minute he turned his back while I went right to you."

Jake stepped back as if she had slapped him. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to do this right now. Let's wait till after school. Can you take me home?"

"Yeah."

Savannah walked away whishing that the day was over. While the dream had been hard to handle, seeing Drew face-to-face had been much worse. Now she had six classes to go, a headache to deal with, and now the thought that she had really messed things up. It was going to be a long day.

_**It would be really annoying right now for me to say sorry for the wait but…sorry for the wait. I have another project that is higher on my priority list because it is an original piece. I would love to get published one day and hopefully that will be my launching point. But as for this project I will keep it updated when I have a chance. This chapter only took me a few hours because it just came to me last night. I really love the complication of Savannah's relationship with Drew. What do you think? Please leave me a review!**_


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